After The Darkness
by tabitha5
Summary: A post T4 story. The main characters of which are Danni, Mega, Lex, Ebony, Jay & Trudy. Read on to discover how they deal with conflict, complex relationships, tragedy & disability in the everchanging Tribeworld they have created. Intrigued? Read on


BACKGROUND: This is a post T4 story which begins a couple of months after the Mall Rats managed to defeat the Techno's with Mega's help.  Peace has been restored to the city. All the prisoners who were in the Techno's Labour Camps have been freed however it turns out that all of the Mall Rats who were taken have been deleted, they also discovered that Ram had deleted Ved & Cloe.  Java has been exiled for killing Taisan in a fit of rage after she was informed of Ram's untimely demise.  Patch & Dee have left the city in search of Patch's brothers.  May went with them feeling that there was nothing left for her in the city after finally realising her feelings for Pride were not reciprocated.

AFTER THE DARKNESS  

Part 1

Through the darkness Danni heard voices whispering like ghosts; then as the pain surged through her body her mind was over taken by the darkness again.  

She was surrounded by warmth and softness, even the darkness was some how less black now.  She could make out hazy shapes but could not focus on them try as she would. 

Smooth, warm food was placed in her mouth but she could not swallow, her mouth was wiped with soft cloth and a hand gently stroked her throat until she swallowed a little food.  This lengthy process was repeated several times until she could swallow no more and the darkness overwhelmed her once more.

It was better now, surrounded by warmth, soft food and soft voices. Sometimes gentle but firm hands would touch her then the pain would come and she would sink into oblivion once more.  Hands stroking and gently massaging her awoke Danni once more.  

She tried to focus on the figure sitting next to her but the lighting was dim, she could make out flickering lights and plum coloured walls.  The massaging stopped and a hand lightly touched her check as a distant voice told her to rest.  

Danni shut her eyes once more and fell into an instant and peaceful slumber. 

In the weeks that followed the pain was bad like a dark cloud engulfing her and everything around her, though it was never like it had been before she had come to this place. Mostly she slept amidst the soft duvets and blankets of the large bed, when she was awake she was aware of the figures that swam in and out of focus like ghosts always dressed in black and of the voices belonging to no one, so it seemed, whispering quietly in the dimly lit room.

"Try to drink a little more" the voice coaxed pouring a little of the sweet liquid into her mouth.  "Good" the voice said resting her head back against the pillows.  He wiped her mouth with a moist flannel and set the mug down on the table next to the bed.  He pushed a strand of loose hair out of her eyes, which stared, vacantly about the room.

Danni eventually focused on his face, it wasn't the face of a ghost either, she took in his dark hair cropped close to his head, the colour of his eyes, the texture of his skin.

Pain shot up her arm as he slowly unclenched her figures.  Danni squeezed her eyes tightly shut trying to block out the pain as he rotated her wrist and bent and flexed her elbow.

A small moan escaped from her lips and his hand went up to her cheek "I'm sorry I hurt you, but the exercises will help you get stronger. 

He gazed down at her, into the dark, velvety pools that were her eyes struggling to focus upon him once more.  His eyes softened, "I promise you it's going to hurt you less the more I do these" he said as he shifted over to her other side and began again.  "Good girl, try to relax" he soothed. 

The pain was less now but he soothed her still, stroking her hair until she eventually fell into a peaceful slumber.

Through the haze of sleep Danni felt a soft, warm, moist cloth gently wipe her body, felt herself be lifted and turned.  She opened her eyes trying to concentrate on the people in the room; the boy who was always there it seemed and a girl with blonde hair tied in little knots at random intervals over her scalp, she was tall, elegant with an air of confidence about her. 

 "What do you think, are there any signs of improvement yet?" she asked addressing the boy.  

"I'm not really sure she seems calmer, the exercises are making her limbs more supple".  He replied.

"Mega, what if this is as good as it gets?  If she is never any more aware of what's going on around her, is never able to move or talk?"  

"We did the right thing bringing her back here, not leaving her to die in that hell hole.  I will take care of her, I told you both that and even if this is as good as it gets for her, we can make her life more bearable".  Mega replied angrily.

"I know your right, I just can't help thinking how I would feel if it was me who was laying there, who couldn't take care of myself or even hold Bray, I can't imagine how I would feel.  I just hope she gets better, I really do".  Amber replied sadly as she left the room.

"So do I" replied Mega as he turned back towards Danni.

A few days later…  "Try to eat a little more" Mega coaxed.  Danni turned her head away in disgust at the strange smelling food on the spoon and clamped her mouth tightly shut.  "I knew you could understand me!"  Mega said excitedly.

"If you understand me can you blink for me?"  He asked.  Danni blinked.

"Ok, how about we try one blink for yes and two for no?"  Mega asked.  Danni blinked once in reply.

"Good girl" He enthused.  

"Do you want any more of this?"  He said bringing the spoon up to her lips once more.  Danni blinked twice in response.

Mega laughed as he placed the spoon back into the bowl on the table at the side of the bed.  He took her small, limp hand in his own strong one and squeezed her fingers tightly.  "Can you feel this?"  Mega inquired.  Danni blinked once.

"Good, now see if you can squeeze my hand".  Danni concentrated long and hard but couldn't make her own fingers close around Mega's.  "Good" he said encouragingly as he went on to stroke her arm and them her other hand and arm asking her if to blink "yes" if she could feel him.

Mega moved the bed clothes aside and squeezed one of Danni's feet. 

"Can you feel this?"  Danni blinked twice in response to his question.  He squeezed her foot as hard as he could.  "What about now?" He asked.  Danni blinked twice.  

Mega squeezed her other foot but still she could feel nothing.  He worked his way up her legs questioning if she could feel what he was doing.  Still Danni's response was to blink twice for no.  Tears of panic sprung to her eyes.  "Sorry sweetheart, I didn't mean to scare you, don't worry, there's nothing to worry about".   Mega told her in a strangely flat voice as he drew the bedclothes around her once more. 

Mega sat back down next to Danni whose eyelids were beginning to droop with exhaustion.  She smiled up at him. 

"Rest now." Mega told her trying to return her smile.

Part 2

The door was flung open and a girl sped in slamming it shut behind her and leaning against it with exhaustion. It was some moments before she turned towards Danni and the bed and as she did so her eyes widened with fright and she dropped to her knees wailing and clutching at her dishevelled braids. Moments later the door burst open again and a tall man with blonde hair entered, he drew the girl up against him and as he did so the girl began to struggle lashing out furiously with arms and legs screaming and wailing like a banshee.  Mega entered the room brought by the girls screams, he helped the boy hold the struggling girl as still as they could and eventually she slumped limp in the blonde boys arms; who with tears running down his face lifted her lifeless body and carried her from the room.

He came to the bed and sat taking Danni's hand in his own.  "She didn't mean to frighten you, she doesn't know what she is doing, sees things, things that aren't real".   He looked down into her velvety brown eyes as he told her it was ok, that he wouldn't let anybody hurt her and saw that the fear that had been there a moment ago had vanished.  

"Ebony says that she knows the girl, her name is Danni she used to be the leader of the Mall Rats once upon a time and Brays girlfriend but that she was captured by the Chosen".   Jay told Mega.  

"She's not imagining it?" questioned Mega.

"No, she says that Salene knows her too.  I spoke to Sal and she confirmed what Ebony said".  Jay replied.

"That's good, maybe this is a sign that Ebony's getting better at last that she recognised Danni".  Mega said hopefully.

"I don't know she thought she was seeing ghosts, she can't distinguish what is real and what isn't any more".  Jay sighed as he turned and left.

Mega sat back down and tried to concentrate on the task in front of him.  

All he could think about was what to tell Danni and what to tell Amber, he didn't want to hurt either of them but knew in his heart of hearts what was the right thing to do.  

A few minutes later Salene entered the room where Mega was sitting staring at the computer screen, trying but failing miserably to get some work done.  "I've come to see Danni".  She told him. 

"She won't remember you, she doesn't remember anything about before she came here, it might be best if you didn't tell her either".  Mega said with an audible edge to his voice.

"Why?". She asked.

"Danni doesn't know what she is missing out on, all she can remember is being like she is now, not being able to move or speak, being completely dependant, I don't see how knowing about the past will help her get better, it might make things worse".  Mega responded angrily.

"She has a right to know who she is and what happened to her, maybe it will help".  Salene replied.  

"And maybe it wont".  Mega snarled in response.  As Salene stalked out of the room and went to see Danni.

"I know you don't remember me, my name is Salene and we used to be friends".  Said the pink haired girl as she sat down next to the bed in which Danni was lying.

"We all thought you were dead that the Chosen had killed you.  We tried to find you but no one knew what had happened".  Salene explained.

"Mega thinks that the Chosen must have taken all of the people they captured at the beach who were hurt to this place where he, Amber and Jay found you.  That when the Chosen were defeated that who ever was caring for you all just ran away or that they were captured during the Techno invasion because…".  She paused and swallowed noisily before continuing.  "When they found you had been laying in your own filth and was dehydrated and malnourished, all of the others were dead, had died from their injuries or starvation".  Salene shuddered with revulsion as she remembered what Jay had told her about the place.  Taking a deep breath to control herself she continued.  "They brought you back here and Mega took care of you, he was convinced that you wouldn't die, even though you were so very ill".

"I'm pleased you didn't Danni, really I am and I hope you get better".  Salene finished.

Danni was deep in thought trying to remember about her life before she came here to Mega, she had vaguely recognised the girl whose name was Ebony but neither of the other girls or the boy Mega called Jay. What, she wondered was the reason for this?  

Danni couldn't really remember anything before she had come to this place.  Just vague feelings, images and voices that haunted her dreams.  

Whatever was before was gone now, she was a different person.  Her thoughts turned to Mega once more and she smiled to herself as she thought of the boy who cared for her, feeding her, changing her, bathing her so tenderly with expert hands.  He was her world now, the person who her life was centred upon, who she was dependant upon for her every need.   

Not that she didn't wish things could be different, that she could find the words to tell him how grateful she was for giving her life, for caring for her, to try to describe the way he made her feel, the tingling sensation that raced through her body whenever he touched her that she couldn't have put into words even if she was able.

She smiled sleepily as he entered the room and sat down on the bed next to her. "Tired?"  He asked her.  Danni blinked yes in response.  

Mega smiled as he eased her towards him holding her against him with one arm as he removed some of the pillows, which had been supporting her in a sitting position with the other.  Danni sighed with relief as he laid her back against the pillows.  She still felt a little sick when she was sat propped up by pillows in the bed but she was not as nauseous as she had been the first time.  

Mega turned her gently onto her side using some of the pillows he had removed from behind her to support her limp form.  Danni sighed again, this time from the pleasure of his touch.  She loved the way his muscles were taut as he held her and marvelled how he could be so strong and yet so gentle at the same time.  

"Sleep now".  He said as he rearranged the bedclothes around her.  No she blinked as she shook her head, Danni didn't want to go to sleep because if she slept then Mega would go back to work and she would be alone again.  Danni didn't like being alone; she wanted Mega to stay with her.  

Stay she pleaded him with her eyes.  Mega sat down on the edge of the bed.  "You need to rest, I'll come back and sit with you later".  No she blinked again pleading with him in her head to stay with her.  

It was as if she had reached him across space and time that she had made him understand what she had wanted.  

Mega slid under the covers next to Danni, slid his arms gently around her and pulled her close, the warmth and strength from his body seemingly flowing into her own.  "Ok?"  He questioned her quietly.  Danni nodded sleepily, burying her head against his shoulder.  Mega smiled into the top of her head and cradled her against him until she drifted off into a peaceful slumber.

Mega looked down at the sleeping girl and wondered what made him feel the way he did about her, right from the moment he had looked upon her emaciated form covered in filth in that hideous place where they had found her he had felt this way.

He supposed that he had always taken care of people for as long as he could remember, his mother, Grace whilst his father had been away fighting in the zone 7 war, his father, Jackson who had been left disabled by the war and Taisan whom he had rescued from the Techno's work camp.  Maybe this was why he had felt so drawn to the girl, to Danni, because he had no one to care for because those he had cared for had all, one way or another left him leaving an empty space in this life a space that Danni had filled.

Recently, the anger, which had built up inside him for those who had abandoned him, had considerably lessened. The anger at his father for beating his mother, his mother for leaving him to care for his alcoholic father, for never sending for him, at Taisan for returning his love with nothing but gratitude.  Not that he had set out to fall in love with her, she had caught his eye, there had been something about her that had been different form the others, something you couldn't define, something that he had seen in Danni.

Mega wondered what life would have been like if the virus hadn't struck, would his mother have found a house by the sea with large windows through which you could see the surf breaking on the sand on the beach below, a house that they had both dreamed of?  

Would he and his father have managed to overcome their differences and become friends if the virus hadn't of struck?  

What if he had never quit school, never played on his computer, spent his days caring for his father and observing others from the window of the apartment where he and Jackson had lived, that his dad hadn't taught him the skills he would need to survive in the now chaotic world without adults?  

What if he hadn't met Jay that day, if Jay hadn't convinced him that there was strength in numbers, if he hadn't joined forces with Jay and his friends, if they had never felt the need after one of the others had died of tetanus and there had been nothing they could do to save her to join forces with Ram, to become the Techno's, to join the rebellion with Jay, to strive to build a better world?

Mega realised now that he had wasted so much time wondering about what if's, that the past was in the past and that for the first time in a long time he felt that he had a future to look forward too with Danni, a purpose in caring for her, in building a better world.

He smiled down at Danni adoringly, she was so beautiful now, she had put on weight but was still extremely slender and fragile looking, her skin now free from scabs and sores was creamy and smooth, her lips dark red like freshly spilt blood, her hair luxuriously thick fell in dark waves about her shoulders.  She was, he decided the most beautiful creature he had ever seen.  

He smiled to himself, his head filled with thoughts of her and what the future might bring as he turned and left the room.

Part 3

"I can hear you".  The voice told her. Danni opened her eyes and gazed sleepily up at the face staring down into her own at the person holding her limp hand in their own.  Her eyes widened in fright as she noticed that it was Ebony standing above her.

"I can hear you".  Ebony repeated.  Danni wondered panicking what Ebony was doing in her room.  

"Hiding, I just wanted to be on my own, not too be watched".  Ebony replied to Danni who had turned a ghostly shade of white.

"I scared you, I'm sorry".  Ebony said.  

"How can she hear me"?  Danni thought "Why does she know what I'm thinking when I can't tell her?".

"I don't know, it's as if all of your thoughts rushed into my head when I touched your hand.  I can't believe you're real we, I thought you were dead, I hoped you were dead so that I would have my chance with Bray, I tried to get rid of you, to get you banished, to make Bray and all the other Mall Rats despise you for what your father had done, to make them think that you had tried to poison Taisan, had poisoned the dog instead.  It didn't work though, he still wanted you, the Mall Rats forgave you, the city listened to your ideas, your Bill of Rights".

"I can't remember the past, if it makes a difference I forgive you for trying to hurt me".  Danni thought in response.

"It was as if you knew Amber was still alive, you were always so insecure about your relationship with Bray, about his past".  Ebony rambled on.

"It doesn't matter any more".  Danni told her.  "You can't change the past, you need to let what happened go".

"How can I let things go when they come back to haunt me, when I'm to loose all that I care about?"  Ebony replied with distress.

"You have people that care about you".  Danni responded.  "I've seen that.  People wont stop caring about you".

"Jay wants Amber though, that's my punishment, for what I did to her and to Bray, to loose the man I love to her".  Ebony sobbed.

The door opened and Mega entered caring a tray full of food.  As he noticed the distraught Ebony standing over the bed, the tray clattered to the floor and he shouted for Jay, who came running.  Jay gently pulled Ebony's hand away from Danni's, turned her from the bed, took her in his arms and led her from the room.  

"Jay does love you Ebony, if only you could see how much".  Danni thought as Mega fussed over her asking again and again if Ebony had hurt her.

But it was too late because the connection between them had been broken and Ebony could no longer hear her.

Danni was worried about Ebony what would happen to her if she were really crazy?  

She needed Ebony, she was the only person who could understand her, she didn't know why but she could.  

Danni had tried to speak when she was on her own but nothing came out, just strange sounds which didn't resemble the words she was trying to say.  It often reduced her to frustrated tears, she felt like she was trapped in this room and would never get out, other than Mega, Ebony was the only person she saw who didn't treat her like an idiot, like she didn't know what they were saying, even Mega in an effort to protect her never spoke about the real world about what was happening between the warring tribes about the constant struggle for survive which she knew instinctively was going on outside these four walls which surrounded her, hemmed her in.  

Not that Ebony knew what was going on outside the Hotel but at least she was a link with the outside world.

Mega had been so scared that Ebony had hurt her in some way, even though it was obvious that the only person Ebony was likely to harm was Ebony herself.  

She smiled as she thought of him, her knight in shinning armour.  The only time she felt at peace was when he took her in his arms.  Sometimes when things had been going badly for Mega, when he was worried about the future he would come to her and draw her against him burying his head in her glossy mane of hair and they comforted each other through the closeness of their bodies each drawing strength from the other until Mega would reluctantly pull himself away and return with renewed strength to continue in the fight for survival. 

 Danni was still thinking of Mega as she drifted off to sleep.

When she awoke Mega was there slumped in a chair next to the bed fast asleep his head resting on his arms as he had fallen asleep half across the expanse of mattress next to her.  He twitched and moaned in his sleep, began to shout to get away form him, to stop.  

Danni concentrated very hard and tried to say his name "Mmmi-ker".  She managed.  Concentrating again she moved her hand the few centimetres separating them so that it rested against his arm. 

"Mi-ka". She repeated again as Mega awoke from his nightmare. 

 "You said my name, I didn't dream it, you said my name".  Mega said in amazement.  

"Baa deem?"  Danni asked him. 

 "Yes sweetheart, a very bad dream indeed".  He replied taking her hand in his own, Danni slowly closed her fingers around his. 

 "I'm ok".  He reassured her, he took her other hand in his own and asked her to squeeze it.  Danni moved her hand in his but didn't have the strength to grip.  

"I told you were getting stronger".  He praised her, his eyes shinning with delight.  

Danni struggled to say something in reply but couldn't manage to get the words out and began to cry with frustration.  

Mega wiped away her tears with his hand, as if in a daze he drew his thumb across her trembling lips, sparks of attraction flew between them.  Reluctantly he moved away.

Danni's sobbing grew louder, how stupid was she to think that any one would want her whilst she was like this, that even in his excitement that Mega would kiss her.

Not understanding Mega climbed onto the bed, cradled her in his arms like a small child.  Gently rocking her he whispered soothing words of endearment to her until she finally cried herself to sleep with exhaustion. 

Mega had arranged for Amber to get Danni some clothes, Danni wasn't really sure what she thought about this, but realised that a nightdress and a pair of PJ's were possibly not all a girl should have in her wardrobe.  

The worst bit was that it was Amber, how would she react to Danni now she knew who she really was?  It made Danni nervous.

Danni's train of thought was interrupted as Amber entered the room.

"Hi Danni".  She said.  "Are you ready for some dressing up?"  Amber asked her brightly.

Danni nodded her head in response as Amber emptied her bag of goodies out onto the bed.  Holding each item up in turn for Danni to inspect and pick what she liked the best.

Amber carefully dressed Danni in what she had chosen putting the other items she had picked into the wardrobe for safekeeping.

"They told me who you are you know, it was a shock at first".  Amber began.  "I know you don't remember about what happened before you came here, but I don't resent you, Bray thought I was dead, he got over me and got on with his life.  I can't resent you for being there for him when he needed someone and I wasn't around every body needs someone, even me.  I had Pride to care for me when I thought Bray had betrayed me so it was only right that he found someone because he thought I had died.  I think I probably would have liked you, from what Salene said we had a lot in common, you had ideas about making the world in which we live a better place, a more just society, idylls which you shared with Bray the same as I did".

"What I'm trying to say is that I would like us to be friends".  Amber finished.

"Ookay". Danni smiled in response.

Amber stood back to admire her handy work.  "You look lovely". She told Danni.

Danni's thick, dark hair had red and gold ribbons woven into it and it fell in a shimmering cloud about her shoulders.  She wore gold irresdessent eye makeup and Amber had painted her nails red with a gold pattern. She had dressed Danni in some of the clothes she had picked, long black leather wedge heeled boots with long red socks folded over the top, gold denim pedal pushers, over which she wore a luxurious long red velvet skirt, a gold cotton sleeveless polo neck with a slash neck sweater in a soft red chenille which emphasised the creamy colour of her bare shoulders.  

Amber was pleased that her finds had suited Danni so well and that so many of the items she had searched for were now in the wardrobe awaiting a suitable occasion for Danni to wear them.  

Mega knocked on the door and then came into her room, his mouth dropped open in surprise and for a moment Danni worried that he would hate the way she looked.  He came towards the bed his eyes shinning.  "You look beautiful".  He told her in a choked voice as he sat down next to her taking her hand in his.  

Amber slipped silently from the room smiling to herself.  He was right she was beautiful.

Part 4

Danni was extremely nervous, how Mega had convinced her to come to the party she didn't know, how stupid!  She couldn't do anything for herself so what was she going to do at a party? 

 A small gathering he had said but as he carried her into the room it seemed full of strange people, talking, dancing and helping themselves to the food and drink that had been set out on a table in what had once been the hotels main dining area.  

The room was lit by a combination of candles and disco lights, music played in the background.  Dotted around the room were piles of plush cushions on which people were sitting talking with their friends.

Mega gently set Danni down on one of the piles and carefully arranged the cushions around her.  Danni gazed out into the centre of the room where people were dancing watching the couples and the groups of friends and wished that she could be one of them.  She caught sight of Amber dancing with a boy with dark hair Amber saw her and waved.  

There were so many people, Danni wondered who they all were.  Mega announced that he was going to get them both some food and drink and wandered off as Jay came over and sat down next to her.  The look on his face told her that he obviously wasn't enjoying the party much either.  

"Hey, princess, having a good time?"  He greeted her.  Danni shook her head in response. 

 "Me neither".  He sighed.  

"Ebnee?" Danni asked him.  

"I just wish she could be here, she loves to dance and she deserves to celebrate with the rest of us, she fought along side us all.  She wouldn't come though, she was scared to face every one, she thought that she would get confused and say something crazy, that people would laugh at her.  She used to be so confident, I wish I could do something to help her, to make things better.  You could sense the desperation in Jay's voice.

Sometimes I think that I'm cursed that every one I care about will die, my parents, Ved….".   His voice trailed off.

Danni's heart went out to Jay, he was so sad as was Ebony, both thinking that they were going to loose the other.

Danni reached across and put her hand over Jays.  He looked up and smiled.  "Dance with me?"  He asked her.  Danni looked at him incredulously, he knew she couldn't dance. 

"Please".  He pleaded.   Danni bit down on her lip with both fear and confusion as she nodded.

Jay lifted her arms about his neck then gently scooping her up, he carried her out onto the dance floor.  

Mega looked on the muscles in his jaw tightened, jealously as he watched Danni, obvious joy lighting up her face as Jay twirled them both around the dance floor in time to the music.  Them both laughing as he collapsed onto the heap of cushions with her still tightly wrapped in his arms. 

Danni looked up at Mega and wondered what she had done to upset him for it was obvious by the expression on his face that he was very angry.  Jay took one look at his face and got up and left, the smile sliding from his face.

It was as if the air around them had suddenly gone cold.  Mega took a deep breath and forced himself to calm down.  

Danni felt really bad she would give anything not to upset or hurt Mega; she reached out and touched his hand.  He pulled his hand away as though he had been burned only to lift her, crushing her against his chest a moment later.  

"Damn".  He swore his voice rough with emotion as he laid her back against the cushions and offered her something to eat and drink.  The food is very good, Salene was an excellent cook he told her, the tone of his voice evening out as he spoke.  Danni smiled up at him her eyes shinning with the love she felt for him, the boy, the man to whom she belonged. 

Danni looked up at Mega and wondered what was wrong with him; he was normally so gentle, sweet and so kind.  When he'd changed her he had been distant almost rough, now he was staring into space his jaw clenched, his breathing ragged.  It frightened her to see him like this.  Apprehensively she reached out and touched him.

Mega caught his breath as her hand brushed against his thigh and looking down at her he was overwhelmed by desire.  The music from the party could still be heard faintly in the distance.

"Dance with me?"  He asked her.  Danni nodded and smiled up at him as he lifted her into his arms and began to sway to the slow beat of the music below.

Danni nuzzled his neck as they swayed in time with the music.  After a few minutes Mega laid her gently back on the bed and began to undress.  Danni watched as he pealed off his camouflage jacket, black and red t-shirt, the black leather trousers and army boots, her eyes wide with surprise and delight as he slid into the bed next to her and drew her close.

He could feel her softness pressed against his muscular chest as he wound himself around her, he held her close for as long as he could bear it without the passion that was growing inside him breaking free of the fragile control he had over it, then he moved slowly away. 

 She was gorgeous he thought; laying there so fragile, so vulnerable her dark hair fanned out around her face, the creaminess of her silky skin accentuated by the dark red of the sleeveless Chinese style pyjama set she wore.  He reached out and stroked her cheek, gently. His eyes locked upon hers watching her pupils dilate with pleasure as he began to stroke and explore her body, caressing her curves and contours hidden underneath the satiny material.  She moaned softly as he nibbled her earlobe and kissed her neck and her bare shoulders.  He turned her to him, with one hand he supported her the other he buried in her thick dark mane as he caught her bottom lip, plump and red between his teeth.  His lips brushed tenderly against hers as he kissed her for the first time.  The warmth flowed like a river between them for a moment, and then he slowly, gently pulled away from her.

Mega swallowed trying to gain control of himself.  "I didn't hurt you?"  He asked, his voice hoarse with emotion, his heart pounding inside his chest.

Danni shook her head a little confused as she smiled drowsily, adoringly at him.  The look of bliss upon her face reassured him.  He eased her back against his chest as she drifted off.  It was a long time before Mega eventually dropped off to sleep.

Danni ached all over, it felt awful and she couldn't do a thing to ease her discomfort.  She looked up as the door opened and Mega entered; even her neck hurt, she gasped at the pain the slight inclination of her head had caused.  In an instant Mega was at her bedside.  "Is it bad?"  He asked.  Danni blinked once in response.   Mega looked at her drawn face and the beads of perspiration forming on her forehead, he noted the rigidity of her limbs and the tightness of her muscles.  

"Ok angel, I'll be back in a minute".  He said to her.  He returned seconds later with a bottle and disappeared into the bathroom.  He came back and crouched by the bed.  

"This is going to hurt some, just try to be brave".  Said Mega as he began to undress her as slowly and carefully as he could manage.   As he lifted her from the bed Danni sank into painful darkness.  Through the dark Danni could smell a strange, not unpleasant aroma, which she couldn't identify and as the warm water soothed her body the pain began to ease.  It was nearly an hour later when Mega gently lifted her from the bath and wrapped her in soft, fluffy towels before carrying her back to the bed, his arms a little numb from where he had held her gently supporting her body in the water.  

She whimpered quietly as he carefully dried her and began to very slowly massage her trying to release some of the tension in her knotted muscles.  As the massaging and the herbal 'potion' took affect Danni began to relax.  Mega slid her carefully back into bed as Salene entered with a tray of food.  She set the tray down next to Danni.  The way she moved as she put a glass to Danni's lips made her feel a little dizzy like she was experiencing motion sickness and everything was rushing past her quickly as if she was on a fairground ride. 

"Take it easy Sal, it's not a race".  Mega snapped and taking the glass off of her he coaxed Danni into swallowing some of the cool milk and then to eat a little of the scrambled eggs Salene had brought up on the tray.  

Salene looked on marvelling at how Mega took everything very slowly, slowing his movements right down so as not to rush or frighten Danni, how his voice softened as he coaxed her into eating a little more.  

Salene didn't think she would manage to be so tirelessly patient and compassionate even with someone she cared about as much as Mega obviously cared for Danni.  She had been shocked when he had asked her to fetch to box of lotions and potions that Taisan had left behind, he hadn't even acknowledged that she had ever existed since she had left, it shocked her further that Mega, a complete techno geek had taken the trouble to learn anything about natural remedies which Taisan used.  Salene knew that Mega felt that Taisan had betrayed him, that that was why he shut himself off from everyone and was always so covert about his feelings even with Jay his childhood friend.  Watching him with Danni she saw a different side to Mega a side which none of them had seen before.

Part 5

Danni and Ebony were talking; at least Ebony was doing most of the talking whilst Danni listened as they sat together on Danni's bed their fingertips barely touching.

"I wish I was dead".  Ebony sobbed.  "I hate myself, my life is awful".  

"That's not true".  Danni thought back.

"Nobody would care, Jay doesn't even love me".  She sobbed clearly distraught.  

"You're being stupid, Jay does love you and your friends would care".  Danni 

responded.

"What friends, I haven't got any, no one likes me really, and Jay doesn't love me. We were going to go away, build a new life together, he new how I felt and yet he came back to fight with Amber.  He promised me things would be ok that we could make it work and it isn't and I feel like he isn't even trying to make it work.  Sometimes I hate him, I feel like he has let me down.  

Maybe it's my fault, I can't do anything right, I make him so unhappy.  I really believed he was the 'one' that we were meant to be together.  But he doesn't even want me any more he wants Amber.  

Maybe if I had been a better person this wouldn't be happening, I'm just getting what I deserve".

"I feel like I am going mad, everything in my head is just so mixed up, I can't even think straight.  I just want to stop feeling like this, I just wish the pain would stop, that I could just turn it off, for good, make it go away".

"It's obvious that you and Jay are meant to be together, things will get better eventually I'm sure they will".  Danni thought, trying to placate her.

"You don't know that!  It just hurts inside so much, I just wish it would stop I hate feeling like this.  It would be easier for every one if I could just make it go away". 

Ebony looked up as Jay entered the room, tears streaming down her face smearing her makeup.  As he tried to comfort her she pulled away, crying even harder than before.  

"I wish I could prove to you how I feel, please lets try to make it work, seeing you like this tears me apart".  Jay said clearly very upset.

Ebony ran from the room her hand clamped over her mouth trying to stifle her sobbing.  Jay followed her out.

Danni was worried about Ebony.  She knew that Jay wanted to make the city a better place for every one but he just seemed to be able to focus on what was in front on him at any given moment.  Jay was a lot more strong willed than he appeared, it had been his determination that had made him return to the city to fight even though he obviously cared about Ebony and wanted to be with her.  

Danni didn't think that it had occurred to Jay that coming back would hurt Ebony that she would feel let down, that she didn't want to be back in the place; which held so many unhappy memories for her.  All Ebony wanted was to be with the man she loved, for him to return that love and for them to be together.  Danni could understand that.

Danni knew that Jays dream was an important one, but Ebony needed him and she was scared that things were changing that she would loose Jay and it was making her ill, she was loosing her fragile grip on reality and Jay seemed unable to see this.

Part 6

Salene and Lex were sitting in the café eating their breakfast, discussing Mega and Danni.

"You should have seen him, he was so different than he normally is.  It must be nice to have someone care about you as much as he cares about Danni".  Salene sighed wistfully.

Lex laughed scornfully.  "I can't believe you just said that you're envious of Danni, you were at the party, the other day, you've seen how things are for her.  I can't think of anything worse than being trapped inside a body that doesn't work".

"You know I didn't mean it like that. Danni doesn't remember anything about before Mega and the others found her so it's not like she remembers things being different from how they are now.  I think it's nice for Mega anyway".  Salene responded.

"Nice for Mega! I was the one who lost my wife, not him!"  Lex exploded.

"You have Siva".  Salene retorted.

"It's not the same and you know it!"  Lex shouted.

"You should be grateful to Mega for rescuing Taisan from the work camp.  You know that she never really loved Mega anyway".  

"I am grateful to him, he's a good man, strong, fights well, he took her loss as badly, I know what he felt for her.  Don't get me wrong; it's nice to have someone to care about who cares back and everything.  Maybe it will make him less uptight about everything, the guy needs to unbend, get a life".  Lex shrugged.  

"He certainly seems happier now, less angry, more willing to listen instead of shutting himself away with his work and bottling things up".  Salene replied.

"Maybe you should start up a Mega appreciation fan club, since you all feel so sorry for him over what happened and think he's so great".  Lex replied sarcastically.  "Danni sure has changed if what I saw the other night is anything to go by".   Lex outlined a curvaceous silhouette shape with his hands.  "Maybe she's not little Miss Uptight any more".  He finished.

"Gross!  Honestly Lex sometimes you are beyond belief". Salene replied in disgust as she stalked off. 

Lex laughed as he leant back in his chair in order to rest his feet upon the table.  

Maybe it would be worth paying Danni a visit, after all she couldn't remember the past and Lex could use all the friends he could get.  The prospect of making amends was definitely worth some serious consideration.

Lex was somewhat apprehensive as he made his way up the winding stairway in the hotel and along the corridor to Danni's room.  

The truth of the matter was disabled people scared him, he knew that Danni couldn't even sit up on her own let alone walk or run and that she found speaking difficult Salene had explained all of that to him, it had made him feel a surge of pity for the girl he once knew but had also made him feel nauseous.

He felt bad about his past treatment of Danni and needed to at least try to make amends even if it was only as Salene had suggested in order to make himself feel better. Besides which, when he had seen her at the party it had awoken some strange emotion buried deep inside him.  

Lex paused his hand on the doorknob outside Danni's room; he took a deep breath and opened the door.

Danni was lying apparently asleep propped up against some pillows on a large bed in the centre of the room.  The room had changed since Lex had last been there gone was the clinical white walls of what had once been Ram's private suite.  Lex looked around him amazed at the transformation.  The walls were painted dusky plum in colour, the old gothic wardrobe fitted in much better with it's surroundings much better now.  The ceiling was painted metallic silver, the cream stripped chaise lounge was covered with an array of dusky plum, cream and forget-me-not blue cushions made out of various luxurious fabrics.  The enormous bed that had once been Rams was covered in pillows and throws in the blue, plum and cream that dominated the colour scheme of the room.  The door to the en-suite bathroom was open, there was a rich red rug on the floor and fluffy towels of red and navy hung on the brass rails of the once stark cream tiled bathroom.   

As Lex breathed in he could smell vanilla, presumably from the candles that lit the room.  It was a long time since he had seen a room such as this, the smell reminded him of Zandra, of Siva and he thought how much the would have both adored a room like the one in which he was standing.

He looked across at the girl in the bed; dark hair fanned out on the pillows, long, dark eyelashes brushing the creamy skin of her cheeks.  He old Danni wouldn't have been seen dead in this room, wouldn't have worn the Chinese style pyjama's in which she was dressed, hadn't the style or the body to carry them off.  He thought a predatory smile crossing his face.  

Danni opened he eyes and gazed up at Lex, her eyes piecing his very soul as she said in a voice he didn't quite recognise  "Hello Lex, I've been waiting for you a long time".

Lex stared down at Danni his face ashen.

"We blame you, you left us to burn, your child and I and now we are dead.  You didn't give our child a chance to live".  Zandra's angry voice spat up at him.

"I slept with you for the good of the tribe, I never loved you Lex you must have known that".  Taisan's voice laughed mockingly.

Lex shook his head violently and stared back down at Danni's peacefully sleeping face.  

God! I must be going crazy like Ebony.  He thought.  Maybe it's just the VR messing with my mind he consoled himself as he sat down heavily on the chair next to the bed.

Lex's heart almost stopped betting as Danni stirred and sleepily gazed up at him.

"Hi".  She breathed her voice a little slurred as she smiled across at the dark, handsome stranger sitting by her bed.

Her smile was so sweet he couldn't help but smile back at her.

"Hi, I'm Lex".  He replied shakily trying to regain his composure.

"I nnow".  She responded.

"I thought Salene said you couldn't remember about being a Mall Rat".  Lex was puzzled.

"You d-danced wif Abba".  Danni tried to explain.

It took Lex a couple of seconds to work out what Danni was saying.  "You're right, I was dancing with Amber at the party".  He agreed.

 "H-hatte it".  Danni slurred in frustration, struggling to get the words out.

"I can't even begin to imagine what it's like for you".  Lex replied pityingly.

"I can feel it in-nsi-d of m-me".  Danni said.

"I can under that, when you are angry you need to let it out".  Lex said.

"H-How?"  Danni stormed, tears of frustration welling up in her eyes.  

Lex had an idea, he took two of the candles out of their holders and came back and sat next to Danni on the bed and placed one of them in her hand, covering her hand with his own, they gripped it together.  "Ok, on three we're going to through this at the wall as hard as we can".  He told her.  

"One, two, three".  Together they hurled the holder against the wall and it shattered into a hundred tiny pieces.

"Again?"  He asked her.  

Danni nodded in response.

Danni laughed as the mass of frustration building up beside her disintegrated into a hundred different pieces just like the candleholders.

"Better?" He asked her as he clambered off the bed and began to clear up the mess they had made.

Danni nodded gratefully in response.  

"Better get this mess cleaned up before Mr Perfect, Mega comes back and accuses me of corrupting you".  He said.

"D-don't".  Danni responded, hurt that he could be cruel about Mega.

"I suppose I'm jealous".  Lex admitted even though it was obviously painful for him to do so.

"I'm grateful to him for looking after Taisan, but I hate that he loved her, she was mine.  He's a good bloke, I've got a lot of respect for anyone that can handle themself the way he does.  It just that everyone thinks he's so bl**dy fantastic you get sick of hearing about it. Lex said feelingly.  "Hey do you want to see something cool?"  He finished.

Danni nodded and Lex carefully picked her up and carried her from the room.  

She blinked in the bright sunlight as Lex opened the door leading onto the hotel roof, she could feel the gentle breeze blow against her face and she sighed with pleasure.

Lex walked to the edge of the roof.  "Look".  He told her.

The view was amazing, you could see the outskirts of the city, a stadium and in the distance a silver river winding through the tall dark trees of a forest, green fields and massive rolling purple topped hills which seemed to go on forever.

"Isn't it beautiful? It feels like you can see the whole world from up here".  Lex said.

Danni nodded with awe in response as he shifted her weight in his arms.

"I could get used to this whole caring and tenderness business, it makes you feel like a real man".  Lex commented bashfully, the colour rising in his cheeks as he moved her against him.

"One thing though, don't tell any one I said that or the stuff about admiring Mega or people will think I've lost me edge, a man has a reputation to protect". He quipped.

Danni laughed and nodded in response.

They stood out on the roof for a while longer, the warm breeze rippling through Danni's dark hair and bringing a rosy glow to her creamy skin before Lex turned and made his way back down the stairs and along the corridor leading back to Danni's room.

Lex opened the door to find both Mega and Jay waiting inside.  The expression on both of their faces made him hesitate before crossing the threshold into the room.

"Put her down now".  Mega growled menacingly at Lex.

Lex carefully set Danni down on the bed and turned to face Mega and Jay.  Mega lunged at Lex grabbing him by the throat and ramming him up against the wall.

"What did you think you were playing at taking her up onto the roof? She could catch her death of cold".  He raged his face pressed close to Lex's as he held him off the ground.

"She won't, it wasn't even cold".  Lex sneered back in response.

"What do you know about Danni?  What do you care?" Mega snarled.

"Would it matter if I did?  Just a little role reversal, make a change for me to play with your girl the way you played with mine. You f***ed with her head so much you drove her away".  Lex responded loosing his temper.

"What I felt doesn't come into this! You didn't love her like she deserved, she was just a possession to you! The minute Taisan was out of the picture you got with Siva!"  Mega responded with venom. 

Lex punched Mega hard in the stomach forcing him to relinquish his grip on Lex's throat as he clutched his stomach in agony.

"Pack it in Lex".  Jay intervened placing his hand on Lex's shoulder; Lex pushed Jay's hand off and rounded on him.

"What makes you think your so perfect Jay, Taisan may have left but I have Siva.  What do you have?  A nutcase for a girlfriend.  You did that to Ebony, how does it feel to know that you coming back here, chasing some dream and a piece of skirt deprived her of everything she ever wanted to the point you've made her crazy!  How does it feel Jay?  To love someone that much you send them to a living hell?"  Lex shouted.

"You don't know anything about me, anything about us Lex. Butt out of things that don't concern you and get out of here before we give you what you deserve".  Jay said his voice low with fury as he went to Mega's aid.

"I'd like to see you try pretty boy, I'd like to see you try". Lex laughed as he turned and left the room.

Danni lay on the bed sobbing quietly, tears streaming down her cheeks.

As Mega straightened up he noticed the tears pouring down Danni's face.  

"He didn't hurt you did he? I'll break his neck if he tried anything" He asked Danni his temper quickly rising once more.

"N-no, e was b-bein-n friendnee, nats all".  Danni replied in between sobs.

"You don't want to be friends with losers like him, if he comes near you again I'm gonna smash his face in".  Mega replied his voice rising.

Danni's sobbing grew louder and more intense.

"I think it should be up to Danni who she is friends with, Mega".  Jay said.

"What like being friends with you, you mean. Don't think I didn't see you perving over Danni at the party, mate cause I did…".  Mega shouted at his friend in response.

"Get a grip on reality Mega, I would never try to steal a mates girl".  Jay responded exasperated.

"Go away".  Danni sobbed as Mega came towards her.  "Go away".  She repeated.

"I think you'd better leave Mega.  You heard Danni she wants you to go".  Jay said.

Mega advanced angrily until his face was just a few centimetres away from Jay's own, he grabbed hold of Jay's shirt as if he was going to punch him.  He turned away abruptly and left the room slamming the door on the way out.

Jay came over and sat next to Danni on the bed.  "He's just being over protective, jealous maybe, he only acts that way because he cares about you so much".  Jay defended his friend.  

He found a tissue and wiped away Danni's tears and sat on the bed with her until her sobbing ceased.  

"Ok, now?"  Jay asked her.  Danni nodded hesitantly in response.  The fighting and seeing Mega behave the way he had, had frightened her.

"Danni, was Lex right what he said about it being my fault Ebony's sick?"  Jay asked her.

"Ebnee tinnks-s you l-love Amb-ber, t-that the ci-ity is m-m-more im-mport-tant t-than she i-iss, that she's being p-punished-d f-for de past-t".  Danni struggled not wanting to hurt Jay's feelings by agreeing with what Lex had said.

"I do care about Amber but it's Ebony I love, she must know that by now.  I thought she wanted us to build a new life together, we can do that here in the city, by making it a better place for everyone to live, I thought that was a dream we both shared".  Jay replied his tone both hurt and confused.

"Your deem, not-t Ebnee's, she-e j-just wants to be with-th you".  Danni replied.

Jay smiled wanly "I think I should go and see how she is".  He told Danni as he got up and left the room.

 Danni grimaced with discomfort and increasing frustration as she tried to move herself into a more comfortable position and found that she wasn't strong enough.  She would just have to lay here in pain until someone came in to help her.  

It made Danni realise that although she was getting stronger she was still completely dependent upon other people for everything, she couldn't even move into a more comfortable position by her self.

Someone softly knocking at the door broke Danni's chain of thought.  Danni looked up as a shame faced Mega entered the room. 

"I'm sorry. I acted like a real jerk before.  If you want to be friends with Lex it's ok by me".  Mega paused, looking up at Danni trying to read the expression on her face.  " If you can't forgive me I'll have to except it, but I never meant to upset you, I just don't want to see you get hurt".   He continued.

Danni looked up at Mega and saw the pain in his eyes, instantly her expression softened, she held her hand out to Mega which he caught gently in his own as he sat down next to her on the bed.  

Danni moaned slightly with discomfort as she slid to one side slightly when Mega sat down.  Mega slipped his arms around Danni taking her weight as he adjusted the pillows to support her in a more comfortable position.   She sighed with relief as he laid her back against the pillows.  

"It's okay".  She told Mega. 

Mega thought he would explode with happiness, the last thing he had wanted was to upset Danni, Lex's thoughtlessness and his attitude in general had made him so angry he'd lost his temper.  

"Thank you".  He replied softly bending over his lips brushing hers as he kissed her.

" I know I've been busy with work and everything but next time you want to go out just ask and I will take you any where you want to go.  You know I would do anything for you don't you".  He said.

Danni nodded as she smiled up at him.  

"I have to go, I've got some work which needs to be finished by this evening.  I'll come back as soon as I can".  He explained bending down to kiss her again before he left, leaving Danni alone with her thoughts once more.

Danni smiled to herself she knew that Mega cared deeply for her and that it was the depth of his feelings and his dented pride that had made him lash out at Lex and Jay.

She wished that when he had said about her and Lex being friends it hadn't felt like he was grudgingly giving his permission, because she wasn't his possession and should be able to choose whom she wanted to be friends with.  It made her a little angry that Mega had treated her as though he owned her.

Danni wondered what Mega was working on and silently hoped that when she became more independent that she would be able to help him in some way, be part of something, whatever he was doing.  That was if she ever got better.  Danni thought with despair as she slid off into a fitful slumber. 

Part 7

Ebony was asleep lying fully clothed on the bed she shared with Jay she tossed and turned, occasionally crying out in her sleep.

_In her dream she was in a house with glass windows over looking a beach, she could see the waves breaking on the golden sand, hear the surf lapping against the rocks framing the sides of the little bay from her position by the largest window of the blue and white house._

_Down on the beach there was a couple fooling around in the shallow water, Ebony looked closer at them trying to distinguish their faces.  As if she had zoomed in on them she could see their faces Danni's beautiful face laughing up at Mega who smiled besottedly down at the girl who clung to him for support.  _

_The sky darkened and a storm began to ravage the little cove, huge waves crashed upon the shore, the rain lashed down in torrents as Ebony heard the thunder rumble and lightening lit up the sky.  _

Ebony's eyes searched the shoreline frantically for Mega and her friend.  "No". She heard Mega shout his tears mingling with the rain coursing down his cheeks as he waded blindly into the raging sea as Ebony looked on from the big glass window of the little blue and white house.  

_Ebony couldn't see Danni and her instincts told her that the sea had taken her, that Danni was gone.  Before she turned from the window in anguish she caught a glimpse of a lonely figure standing on the cliff watching the proceedings on the windswept beach below._

_As she turned away someone stepped out from the shadows.  "Do you want to see some more Ebony?"  Zoot asked her._

_Ebony found herself alone standing on one of the many city streets, a fire was burning and rubbish was being swept around by gusts of wind.  _

_Ebony started walking; she wrapped her arms tightly around her torso trying to protect herself from the bitter chill of the wind.  All of a sudden she tripped and found herself sprawling in the filthy street as she looked down she knew what she would see.  A body lying in a pool of blood half covered by newspaper.  _

_Cautiously Ebony removed the newspaper, his body had been torn apart, there was a gapping hole in his chest, his throat was slit, his face grey, drained of life as his empty eyes stared up at her.  _

_"Seen enough yet Ebony? Before you go there is something else you might like to see".  Said Zoot his voice low and menacing as he appeared in front of her._

_Ebony fell with a thud against the damp walls of the cell, in the darkness she could see someone slumped chained the wall in one corner, as she moved closer Ebony realised it was Siva, her face was bruised, her hair matted with dry blood, her clothes torn so badly that they barely covered her nakedness, she was covered in her own filth and the smell was vile, Ebony swallowed the bile that had risen in her throat as the cell door creaked open and an eerie figure cloaked in black stepped inside.  _

_"Don't you want to know who it is Ebony, who has caused such chaos, who has destroyed your world?"  Zoot's voice taunted her from deep within._

_Ebony turned in time to see the cloaked figure advancing upon her sister who cowered pitifully in the corner.  A manic laugh filled the room.  As the figure bent over Siva and the hood of the cloak fell away from their face Ebony felt someone grab hold of her hand._

Her eyes shot open and the first thing she saw was Jay's concerned face starring down at her as he held her trembling hand in his own.  "It was just a dream Ebony, just a bad dream".  He said trying to comfort her.

Part 8

Danni blinked sleepily as the bright mid-morning sun streamed in through the open doorway, she tried to focus on the figure that had just entered her room.  It was Lex smartly dressed in a long purple velvet jacket over his usual black attire carrying a bunch of wild flowers.  

"I brought you these to say I'm sorry for yesterday, I was out of order".  He shrugged apologetically placing them on the bed next to her.

The flowers smelt fresh like rain on the hills and were all the colours of the rainbow.  "Tank-k you".  Danni replied smiling gratefully at him as he sat down next to her.

"How about we have some more fun?"  He asked his eyes gleaming with mischief.

"B-but Mi-ka".  Danni started to respond.

"Mega will never know him and Jay will be holed up for the next couple of hours, he won't even realise you've gone". Lex interrupted.

Lex eyed Danni's outfit.  Red strappy vest under a gauzy gold gypsy top, gold cropped jeans under red suede hot pants.  He went to the wardrobe and took out the coat, three quarter length fur lined red suede, which Amber had hung there. 

Gently but somewhat clumsily he helped Danni into it.  "I'm not used to dressing pretty girls, it's normally undressing that happens when I'm around". He joked as he scooped her into his strong arms.

Stealthily he carried her out of the building via the fire exit so that no one would see them and out onto the street below.

Along the disserted streets he carried her.  Past the rubbish and fires burning he walked holding her close.  Danni gazed around in amazement.  Lex walked up to a building from which you could hear loud music playing.  

"Lex".  He doorman greeted him.  As he nodded his head in reply the doors swung open, Lex stepped inside.  

Blue, yellow, pink, red, green and violet lights spun as if dancing around the walls lighting up the smoky room crowded with people.  Couples kissing and writhing on the dance floor, groups of people sitting in booths chatting, drinking or smoking.  Others stood round various tables on which card games were being played. R&B was being pumped out through large speakers giving the place a relaxed atmosphere.

Lex found an empty booth and helped Danni off with her coat; he folded it up using it as a pillow to support her.  "You like?"  He asked her.  Danni nodded in response grinning broadly at him.

"Drinks Sir?"  The waitress asked Lex.  As she took Lex's order Danni gapped at her open mouthed.  The girl wore tight, very short black leather shorts, a black satin strapless bra that showed off her ample cleavage as she leant over Lex; and thigh length black boots with a four inch spiked heel.  She tottered off, returning with two strange looking drinks in cocktail glasses a moment later.  

"I didn't know what you'd like".  Lex explained the colour rising in his cheeks as he offered her a taste from the first glass.  Danni wrinkled her nose in disgust as she swallowed a little of the bitter green liquid.  Lex laughed loudly and offered her a sip of the other drink, the purple slightly sludgy liquid was sweet and tasted like a combination of raspberries and honey, Danni took another mouthful before Lex set the glass back down on the table.

A boy dressed up in top hat and tails approached their booth.  "Pick a card any card, if you get a heart win a prize". He asked them in a funny voice.  

Lex reached into his pockets and put two small round tokens on the table.  The boy shuffled the cards and handed them to Lex, who proceeded to cut the deck he turned the cards over revealing the queen of hearts.  

"What will you have Sir?"  The boy asked in his jaunty voice. "A gift for the lady".  Lex replied.  "A wise choice Sir if you don't mind my saying so.  A beautiful prize for a beautiful lady".  The boy said as Lex chose his prize.  

Lex dangled a pretty red glass heart, which hung from a gold ribbon in front of Danni's rapturous face before he gently fastened it around her neck.  "He's right, you're very pretty, stunning in fact".  Lex told her softly as they drunk and listened to the beat of the music playing.

All of a sudden there was an enormous bang, the music stopped, everything went deadly silent. Terrified screams of pain could be heard from coming from outside and people in the casino started to run.

"We have to get out of here".  Muttered Lex as he quickly helped Danni into her coat and picking her up he slipped silently into the shadows.  

The door burst open and a group of people entered, you could not see their brightly made up faces clearly as they were shadowed by the contrasting brightness of the sunlight outside and the dimness of the Casino lighting.  They wore outrageous clothes, wilding knives and swords like circus performers they advanced upon those still in the casino, twirling and somersaulting around them before stabbing them and attacking them with their swords. They were powerless to defend themselves having given up their weapons in order to enter the Casino, one by one they were felled until the floor was but a pool of blood, littered with bodies writhing in agony.  

There was another explosion; the Casino filled with purple smoke, when the smoke cleared the intruders had vanished. 

Lex had stood hidden from view in the shadows crushing Danni protectively against him her face turned to his chest in an effort to protect her from the sight of the massacred bodies.  

After the intruders had left Lex carefully picked his way through the corpses, the people who lay bleeding on the dance floor, their blood already congealing stuck to the soles of his shoes it splattered up the legs of his jeans as he rammed his shoulder against the emergency exit until it gave way and they were out in the disserted street once more.

Lex hurried running swiftly and silently through the empty rubbish strewn streets and back to the safety of the hotel.  He didn't speak or pause to catch his breath until he set Danni gently back down against the pillows of her bed.  

"Ok?"  He asked her gently tilting her chin upwards so that she was looking him in the eye.

Danni nodded; for once relieved to be back in the safe confines of her room.

"Who w-were t-they?"  She asked a trembling Lex.

"Tribe Circus, ferocious warriors dressed like circus performers bent on causing chaos and destruction in any way they can".  Replied Lex as if quoting from a book.

Danni waited for him to go on but he didn't.  She reached over placing her hand on his in a comforting gesture.  

"They weren't even armed, the Casino is open to all of the tribes providing they leave all of their weapons at the door, it's the one place where all the tribes mix with the guarantee of there being no trouble".  Lex said grimly.

"What chance do we have of defeating them, they're barbaric assassins with no feelings, no heart, no soul?"  He went on despondently as he helped Danni off with her coat and replaced it on its hanger in the wardrobe.

"Danni, I have to go and tell the others what I saw, we have to try to help those people.  I'm not going to tell them that I took you there I think that's best kept a secret".  He stroked her cheek briefly with his blood-splattered hand as he smiled sadly down at her, and then he left to go back to the Mall.  

Part 9

"Danni sweetheart, wake up".  Mega spoke softly trying not to startle the sleeping girl

Danni opened her eyes and stared up drowsily at Mega's worried face.

"Danni I have to go away for a while.  Whilst I'm gone you're going to go and stay in the Mall with some friends of mine".  Mega tried to explain, urgency creeping into his voice.

"Want-t t-to stay wid Ebnee und J-jay".  Danni replied sleepily.

"Darling, you can't stay here, Ebony and Jay are coming with us".  Mega gently responded.

As her velvety brown eyes full of fear and confusion met his own he could feel his heart swelling with the love he felt for her.  He desperately wanted to reassure her that things would be ok, but he couldn't because he wasn't sure that they would be.  

Since their arrival the Techno's had been the top dog's, they had risen above the other tribes in this city, using their knowledge and technical skills to not only help others but to control them as well through mind games and the 'paradise' virtual reality.  After Ram's untimely downfall Jay, Amber, Mega and many others had worked to make the city a better place for everyone who lived there.  

But the return of Tribe Circus who obeyed no rules, had no respect for others had brought nothing but chaos and destruction and was threatening to destroy not only the new way of life which they had created but also the very existence of every person who lived within the city and the surrounding area.  The cold-blooded murders of the defenceless tribesmen and women at the Casino had illustrated the savagery that Tribe Circus was capable of.  

Mega had a nagging suspicion that Tribe Circus were counting on the people of the city retaliating and that the coming battle would only lead to the death of more innocent people and was also part of a bigger plan which would lead to the destruction of their world.  Waging a war against Tribe Circus was a risk, but Mega along with many others was unwilling to give up this new way of life that they had fought so hard to create and was more than willing to fight and if necessary die to protect those he loved, the city and his own beliefs. 

He gently wrapped a frightened Danni up in warm blankets, slung the bag he had packed for her whilst she had been sleeping over his shoulder and cradling her gently against him they left the relative safety of the hotel and joined the steady procession of people making their way silently along the dark, chilly streets to the Mall for the emergency meeting called for by the Tribe Leaders.

Amber greeted them as the entered the Mall and took them up to the first floor where she had prepared a room for Danni.  Together they settled the frightened girl in before going down stairs to the packed lobby to the meeting.

Danni lay on the bed listening to what was going on below.   Lex told people what had happened at the Casino; leaving out that it was Danni he had taken there.  Other people told of the horrors, senseless violence, looting and vandalism committed by the members of Tribe Circus since their return to the city.

It was arranged that a raid of the stadium where Tribe Circus seemed to have made their headquarters would take place at dawn, that the city would pool their resources and create an army comprising of the strongest bravest and cleverest members of each tribe.  

Work parties were formed to devise strategies of attack, to collect weapons and provisions and also to find ways to protect those that would be left in the city, those that could not join the fight.

It was nearly dawn when an exhausted Mega returned to the room in which Danni was sleeping.  He sat down on the bed trying to absorb every detail of her face, to memorise everything in case this was the last time he saw her.  He bent over, his lips gently brushing hers.  Danni's eyelids fluttered open just as sleeping beauties had when her prince kissed her in the fairytale his mother had told him when he was a small child.

"Hi beautiful".  He spoke softly his voice weary with tiredness.

He took her hand in his own and pressed it against his cheek. It was then that Danni knew that he was going to leave.

"When do you l-leave?"  She asked trying to smile at him her eyes brimming with tears.

"An hour".  Mega replied his own eyes filling up.  He reached out gently stroking her cheek with his hand.

"Promise me that you'll be brave while I'm away, that when I come back you'll be here, stronger and more beautiful".  He tried to smile but his fear of what was to come was evident in his eyes.

"I p-promise".  Danni told him wishing that she could ease his pain, it hurt her to see him so desolate. 

"I love you baby, nothing will ever change that".  He told her his voice cracking with emotion.  Danni found the strength to reach out and feebly pull Mega close.  Somehow though their tears blinded them both as they clung to each other their lips met and their love coursed through their bodies like the blood in their veins.

Jay stood in the doorway watching, dreading having to tare them apart.  He took a deep breath pausing before he spoke.  "Mega it's time to go".  He said stepping inside he put his hand on Mega's shoulder, Mega wiped the tears away from his eyes with the back of his hand.  He pressed his lips against Danni's one last time then reluctantly he left the room.  

"It's going to be ok princess, Trudy will take care of you. No-one will harm you, the Mall is locked up like Fort Knox".  Jay tried valiantly to reassure her.

"Mega loves you too much to lose you, he will come back when this is over, we all will".  Jay's words soothed her as he bent down and kissed her forehead.

Danni watched as Jay, so confident, so proud, so brave turned and left the room.

It seemed like it was just a few seconds later when Danni heard the iron grills come hurtling down and the sound of the main entrance to the Mall being closed and made secure.  It was only then that she let the heartbreaking sobs escape from her lips.

Part 10

Danni gazed sleepily up through the dream induced haze at the pretty purple haired girl who was gently but firmly massaging her fragile body, slowly she repeated the exercises bending and stretching Danni's weak limbs as Mega had instructed her.

"Sleep Danni, you need to rest".  Trudy told her quietly.

When Danni awoke she was all alone and began to panic in the unfamiliar surroundings, it took her several minutes before she realised where she was.

Danni looked around the little midnight blue room, with its gold stars pinned to the walls and around the outside of the large gilt edged mirror, the only furniture was a chair, a small bedside table and little blue wardrobe.  Danni wondered whose room this was.  

A small girl peeked around the edge of the curtain which acted as a door separating the little room from the rest of the mall, seeing Danni was awake she scuttled away returning a few seconds later with a tray on which there was a bowl of cereal, some toast made from homemade bread and a glass of milk which she set down on the bedside table.  

"I'm Mouse".  She told Danni as she clambered up onto the bed next to her.  "I brought you some breakfast".  The little girl told Danni as she lifted the tray carefully across and placed it upon Danni's lap.  

Danni stared down at the tray wondering how she was going to manage to eat.  "Would you like me to help you?  Sometimes Amber let's me feed baby Bray, but I don't feed Brady any more because she can feed herself now".  Mouse said. 

Danni smiled at the little girl and nodded.  The little girl started to feed her some of the cereal, chattering happily away as she did so.

"You'll like it here in the Mall, normally there's lots of people but they've mostly gone to fight the badies, even Salene went but Trudy says that they'll be back soon which is good because Siva promised me she'd let me wear her lipstick when she came back".   Mouse told Danni without once pausing for breath.

"Do you want some milk now?"  Mouse asked Danni raising the glass to her mouth as she nodded in response.

"You don't talk much do you?"  Mouse asked her.

"Mouse, don't be so rude!"  Trudy exclaimed as she entered the room.  

"I-it's ok".  Danni replied.

"If Danni's finished, you can help Sammie wash up the breakfast things and then take Brady and play quietly downstairs, Bray's asleep".  The older girl said.

"Boring!"  Mouse replied in a whinny voice.

"What did Jay tell you?"  Trudy asked her.

"That Sammie and me had to be good and help you look after Danni and the babies until they all come home".  Mouse said trying to remember the exact words which Jay had said her.

Trudy handed Mouse the tray and shooed the little girl out of the room.

She smiled at Danni.  "Would you like me to help you wash?"  Trudy asked the pretty girl.  Danni nodded in response, Trudy helped Danni to wash with a soft facecloth, deftly Trudy changed her and made her more comfortable, then she settled Danni back against the pillows, as she did so Danni's hair fell across her eyes obscuring her vision.

"Would you like me to tie your hair back?"  Trudy asked her kindly.

Danni nodded in response yet again and Trudy began to brush Danni's dark glossy mane of hair, before she had finished Danni had drifted back off into an exhausted sleep.  Trudy finished plaiting Danni's hair and fastened the bottom with a piece of ribbon then crept silently from the room leaving Danni to sleep.

Part 11  

As the days passed and there was still no word of the others who had gone to fight and no sign of an end to the war which raged throughout the city and into the country side beyond Trudy grew increasingly worried, she shared some of her worries with Danni, the two girls becoming close as they chatted together in the evenings after the children were in bed.

With each day Danni grew stronger, her speech less slurred encouraged to talk more by the constant chatter of the children who played happily at her bedside.  She was able to feed herself now almost unaided, using a plastic toddlers cup and cutlery to which Sammie, the young, shy companion of the lively Mouse had moulded large soft rubber handles that Danni was able to grip more easily.

One day after she had eaten breakfast Trudy and Mouse entered the little room that had become Danni's, Mouse was pushing a strange looking chair with wheels; it had a high, slightly slopping back and was completely padded.

"Mega and Jay were working on it before they left, it's a wheelchair".  Trudy explained.  

"It's _really_ clever you can make it move wherever you want too using this little control you don't even have to move your hand a lot, it's like the ball the makes the mouse on computers work.  It's not as good as walking but it means that you can get out of bed and play with us now".  Mouse told Danni excitedly.

Between them Mouse and Trudy dressed Danni and as gently and carefully as they could they lifted her from the bed and into the chair.  It was surprisingly comfortable even though Danni felt nauseous after being moved and more than a little scared.  Trudy fastened the straps across Danni's torso and legs and gently lifted her feet and arms onto the chairs specially designed rests.  

Noticing how pale Danni had suddenly gone she sent a thoroughly overexcited Mouse downstairs to play with Sammie.  She sat down on the bed next to Danni's wheelchair and gently stroked her friends clammy face whispering soothing words as she did to comfort her own child. Slowly the colour began to return to Danni's cheeks.  "I feel better now".  She told Trudy a few minutes later, managing a weak smile.

"It's probably because you haven't been out of bed for ages".  Trudy replied as she started to explain to Danni how to operate the wheelchair controls.

Each day Danni was able to spend a little more time in the wheelchair and as her confidence grew she began to manoeuvre it around the first floor of the Mall and explore, she could even eat her meals with the others in the café.  

Happiness at her newfound independence shone constantly in Danni's eyes and was reflected in her pretty smile.  

Only one thing marred Danni's happiness, the absence of Mega and her friends. Danni missed Mega terribly but refused to give up hope of his safe return and also that of her friends and the rest of the Mall Rats.  Often she would lie awake while the others slept her heart aching, wondering where he was, what he was doing and praying that he would come back to her safely as soon as possible.

As the days turned into weeks the army formed by the tribes and now much depleted drove Tribe Circus from the city and into the hills beyond. 

Sammie ventured from the Mall moving stealthily through the still dangerous city streets upon which he had survived sleeping rough and scavenging food before he had joined the Mall Rats. He collected fruit from the trees and plants from the Mall Rats garden on the edge of the parkland outside before returning and waiting for Trudy to readmit him to the Mall which was locked up securely and would remain so until the city was declared safe once more.

The weeks began to pass, the fighting continued and still there was no word of the fate of the Mall Rats and their friends until one day as the little group were eating lunch there was a loud banging sound and someone could be heard rattling the iron grids and gates which secured the Mall.   A voice, which Danni thought she recognized shouted Trudy's name.  Trudy instantly quietened the children, ordering them to keep as still and quiet as possible.  

Trudy handed Sammie the heavy rolling pin that she used to roll out the bread dough and told him that if anybody came he was to hit them over the head with it as hard as he could.  With that Trudy began to venture cautiously down the stairs to see who was outside, in her left hand she held a large sharp kitchen knife.  

Warily Trudy ventured down the stairs, through the Mall past the fountain and out to the main doors.  

"Come on Trudy! Let us in!"  The voice shouted angrily, as those that waited outside rattled the iron gates as they sought desperately to gain entry to the mall.

Cautiously Trudy raised the grids and with shaking hands began to unfasten the bolts that held down the iron door and shutters, which had protected the mall from intruders.

As the last bolt was unsecured the door swung back and the shutters rattled open, Trudy picked the kitchen knife back up and trembling with fear she advanced out into the daylight and to those who were waiting outside.

Upstairs in the entrance to the café Sammie stood rolling pin in hand protectively shielding Danni, Mouse and the two babies. 

Mouse had baby Bray in her arms and Brady stood clinging to Danni's chair.  Brady was whimpering for mother, Danni reached down stroking the child's hair fondly, comforted Brady ceased to cry.  With her other hand she touched Mouse's sleeve, the little girl turned to her tears of fear streaming down her face she sobbed in silence.  "Danni, I'm frightened".  She whispered quietly.  

"I know, I'm scared too but Trudy will be back soon and everything will be ok".  Danni replied softly as fear gripped her heart and she sent up a silent prayer for the safe return of her friend.  

Danni knew that if who ever was outside meant to harm them there was nothing that she could do to defend either herself or the younger children, that without Trudy to care for them they would almost certainly perish.  

Voices could be heard carried up from the entrance below but Danni couldn't make out what was being said.  There were footsteps as people began to enter the mall.  Danni closed her eyes and waited……..

 "It's ok guys, you can come down there's nothing to be frightened of, come down and see who's here".  Trudy called excitedly up the stairs.

The rolling pin clattered noisily to the floor.  Sammie picked up Brady and started down the stairs, Mouse ran down behind him with baby Bray still cuddled tightly in her arms.

Danni breathed a sigh of relief as she sat all alone in her chair on the first floor of the café as she watched the children race excitedly down the stairs.

Danni sat there a silent onlooker as Salene and Amber dressed in rags, filthy, covered in cuts and dried blood; were greeted by the children.  Amber had tears of joy coursing down her face as she took baby Bray tenderly in her arms.  Mouse clung sobbing to Salene.  Sammie hung back holding Brady by the hand and gazing hopefully at Mouse and Salene.  When Salene held out her arms he to rushed into them dragging Brady along with him to be enfolded in Salene's loving, motherly embrace.

Trudy slowly came into view as she helped a bedraggled and much blooded Lex limp slowly and painfully for he groaned and leant on her more heavily as they progressed and every couple of steps his legs would buckle from underneath them and he would slump against either Trudy or the wall.  Salene freed herself from the children's warm embrace and came to Trudy and Lex's aid as they slowly climbed the stairs to the first floor and the café.

Danni moved herself in her wheelchair out of the way as Salene and Trudy eased Lex down onto the nearest available chair.  

Trudy leant over the balcony and called down "Sammie, Mouse can you come here please".  The two children came back up the stairs and into the café.  

"Sammie I want you to go and get me two bowls of hot water".  Trudy instructed him.  "Be careful and don't burn yourself".  She added smiling reassuringly at him.

"Mouse can you fetch some clean towels and a sheet from the laundry please?"  Trudy asked.  Mouse nodded in response and ran out of the café.

Salene went to the cupboard and got out the first aid kit and placed it on the table next to Lex as the two children arrived with the items Trudy had requested.

"If you and Amber can fix each other up, I'll deal with Lex".  She told Salene turning all of her attention to Lex.

She dipped the corner of one of the towels into the hot water and kneeling down in front of him she started to bathe the wounds on his face and clean and bandage the deep gashes that ran caked with dried blood across and down both of his arms with gauze and pieces of sheet which she torn into long strips.  

Lex looked up and caught sight of Danni watching silently from her chair unable to do anything to help.  He forced himself to smile although his heart was heavy and it hurt because his bottom lip had been split open.  "Come here angel".  He told her holding out his hand to her.  Danni manoeuvred the wheelchair over so that she was sitting next to him and slid her small, delicate hand into Lex's who winced as she did so as his knuckles were raw and broken.

"Lex, I need to look take your boot off and look at your leg".  Trudy told him.  As she unlaced his boot he gritted his teeth in pain and clutched Danni's hand so tightly in his own she wanted to cry out.  Lex let out a blood-curdling scream as Trudy gently pulled off his boot, his leg was badly bruised and obviously broken because just above his swollen ankle a sharp splinter of bone was protruding from the blooded skin.

Trudy turned her head away as she fought against the nausea that threatened to overcome her.  She gulped in a mouthful of air swallowing the bile that had risen in her throat.

"Lex, I need to move the bone back into place before I can splint this".  She told him.  Lex braced himself against the agonising pain as Trudy quickly and as gently as she could she forced the broken bone back into place and splinted his leg.

Mouse's voice broke the strained silence.  "Amber where is everybody else?  When's Siva coming home?" She asked.

Amber looked up grief ravaged her once beautiful face her eyes haunted with pain as she replied in little more than a whisper.  "I don't know Mouse, I'm sorry but I don't know".

Lex slump forward against the table, passed out cold, his hand relinquishing its grip upon Danni's as it fell limply by his side.

Mouse's sobbing grew louder and more hysterical as the seconds ticked slowly by.  "I want Siva!"  She screamed at Amber launching herself at her and pummelling her with both of her tiny fists.  "Where's Siva?"

"Tribe Circus took her prisoner during the fighting, Lex tried to get her back, but he couldn't, they attacked him and sliced open his arms with razor blades.  It was awful".  Amber tried to explain, tears trickling down her cheeks and into the lacerations and bruises on her face and neck.  She wiped the tears away with her hand, the fingers of which had been broken and were now bandaged together as she stared her eyes filled with sorrow and pain at both the sobbing child and also Lex still slumped unconscious over the table.

"Salene, can you take the children downstairs to play, whilst Amber and I get Lex to bed".  Trudy said taking charge of the situation.  

Together she and Amber struggled carrying Lex's limp form between them into his bedroom where they lay him gently upon his bed. Trudy cut off the remains of his tattered t-shirt and removed his one remaining boot.  

Danni sat watching him sleep, bruises darkened his face now clean from the dried blood which had caked it.  Already blood was beginning to seep through the bandages covering most of his hands and arms.  His leg now splinted was resting upon a pillow.  

Danni reached out taking his hand in her own once more.  He stirred and murmured in his sleep.  "Siva".  He said again this time with urgency in his voice as he suddenly awoke.

His eyes clouded with anguish when he realised that it was not Siva but Danni who sat holding his hand.  "God, Danni I've got to get her back, I can't bear thinking about what those animals must be putting her through".  He said distraughtly as he sat up swinging his legs gingerly over the side of the bed.  He attempted to stand but fell back in agony.  

"Lex don't".  Danni said quietly as she placed her hand on his arm in a feeble attempt to stop him from trying to stand again.

His eyes misted over and the long held back tears started to fall; he stared at the floor ashamed at his sudden weakness.  Danni reached out and touching him once more she tilted his chin upwards so he was looking her in the face.  A moment later he collapsed sobbing against her as she wrapped her arms around him.

Gradually his sobs subsided.  "The minute I can walk out of here I'm going to go and find her".  He told Danni with a renewed sense of determination in his voice.

Danni sat motionless in her wheelchair as Lex began to tell her what had happened since he had left the Mall.

Driving Tribe Circus from the city had been a relatively easy task Lex explained as the Tribes people knew every road and alleyway and were able to block any further invasion and counter any attack.  Eventually, Tribe Circus had fled with their tails between their legs overwhelmed and clearly outnumbered by the knowledge and shear numbers of those willing to defend the city and it's inhabitants.  

That was not where the battle had ended because until every member of Tribe Circus was killed or they were defeated and driven as far away as was possible the tribes and the city itself would not be safe.

It was with high morale that Lex and the others had walked out of the city and into the countryside to confront their mutual enemy. Onwards they marched in the dwindling daylight the forces of all of the tribes in the city combined as one.  Each of them became more and more horrified by the devastation that they encountered along the way.  Huge fires in the distance, the flames of which flickered some more than one storey high, lit up the increasing darkness of the night.  

As they drew closer they could see that the fires had once been farms all the buildings set alight or great towers made up of trees which had been newly felled.  The ground once green and lush was trampled and muddy.  Dying embers blew in the wind like tiny fireflies illuminating the night, scattering the ground with ash and singeing everything they came in contact with.  

The troops advanced further their nostrils filled with the stench of burning flesh, the flesh of not only those who had perished in the fires but also those who Tribe Circus had butchered, simple country people who had no quarrel with them and who had attempted to defend their livelihood, homes and livestock against the onslaught lay dead, bloodied and broken upon the land which they had once cared for.  Their animals lay often gutted in pools of blood beside them.  Some of the animals had been dismembered; their limbs and heads hung dripping with blood from the few remaining bushes and trees.  

This had reminded Lex of the Westerns he sometimes used to watch on TV, where the soldiers or natives would hang the heads of those they had killed at the entrance to their camp as some sort of macabre trophy to warn potential enemies to keep their distance.

Onwards they trudged following the trial of death and destruction, which Tribe Circus had left in their wake.  They were weary with exhaustion from the continuous fighting, sleep deprivation and lack of food as Tribe Circus had destroyed any possible source of nourishment or shelter that may have been of use to the city folk that they were determined to defeat.  

It was a weak and much depleted group of tribesmen and women who finally reached the outskirts of the forest where Tribe Circus had set up their camp for the night.

They began to make their way through the forest.  It was pitch black and only the moonlight breaking through the leafy canopy lit their path, the eerie silence was broken by the hooting of an owl as it passed overhead searching for something upon which to feed.

Eventually they could make out the flickering flames from a campfire up ahead.  Silently they began to approach, creeping up until they could see those who sat around the fire talking and eating.  The aroma of roasting meat was almost irresistible to the hungry tribesmen and women; making their mouths water and their stomachs rumble as the smell wafted about them in the breeze.

It was only when Lex had looked up that he realised that he had been to this place once before, he told Danni.  For high up in the trees were the remains of tiny wooden houses much like the ones that some families have in their gardens for the children to play in.  This was the home of the Gian's and once been Amber, Pride and Hawk's home, as they were all former members of the nature loving eco tribe. 

All of the tree huts bar just one had been destroyed, torn apart, the wood strewn over the ground below, it remained intact like a solitary island in a sea of branches and leaves.  Lex and the others saw shadowy faces appear at the windows of the hut.  

There was no way up or down as the ladders had all been hoisted up into the trees protecting them from the intruders below but also preventing the remaining Gian's who were sheltering inside from escaping.

Laughter could be heard coming from the group surrounding the fire, a tall man wearing an elaborate ringmasters costume his face hidden in the shadows as he turned away from the fireside and began to approach the tree in which the Gian's were hiding.  As he looked more closely Lex could see that sticks and branches had been piled up underneath the tree and surrounded the trunk.  The man could be seen to pour something, presumably gasoline or liquid paraffin onto the pile before he returned to his comrades at the fireside.  

"Now for some light after dinner entertainment".  He laughed.  His laugh echoed loudly the noise amplified as it rang out in the cold night air. He pulled at stick from the fire and like a giant match he lit the other fire, the one that surrounded the sole remaining hut where the Gian's were hiding.  Instantly it burst into flames which crept up the sides of the trunk quickly and with each second that passed lapped ever closer to the floor of the hut in nestled in the branches above.

The member's of Tribe Circus stood around the blazing fire with their weapons in their hands as they waited for the Gian's to emerge.

Terrified screams could be heard coming from the solitary treetop hut as the flames engulfed it.  Smoke was pouring from the windows at which, the Gian's still trapped inside and fearing for their lives could be seen gasping for breath as the smoke that they were inhaling began to fill their lungs.  Down below Tribe Circus whooped and laughed cavorting around the fire like excited children on Guy Fawkes Night. 

Crouching next to Lex shielded from view by the bushes Pride unable to control himself any longer made a slight sound, imitating a bird call which immediately alerted the Gian's to his presence.  Looking across at her in the darkness Lex saw Amber give the signal for attack.  

As silently and stealthily as a fox creeping up upon it's prey the combined forces that made up the city army began to creep out from the trees and bushes surrounding the camp where they had been hidden.  

Cloaked in darkness and their faces shadowed by the billowing clouds of smoke like ghosts they advanced; pouncing upon their enemy whilst their backs were turned.

A shout from one of the members of Tribe Circus who had noticed a shadow moving out of the corner of his eye alerted them to the presence of the tribesmen and women from the city. They turned to face them and battle commenced.

The Gian's dropped down their rope ladder so that it hung about seven foot away from the ground allowing them to descend and jump clear of the flames but high enough to stop anybody climbing up it.  Lex told Danni.

As the first girl descended Tribe Circus's leader Ringmaster took out his whip, it cracked loudly, so loudly that it made those who were fighting nearest give a startled jump.  His whip cracked again as it began to lash the terrified young Gian girl who lay cowering upon the ground before him cutting through her clothes and leaving wheals upon her bare skin.  

Pride had heard her screams and came to her aid placing himself between the girl and Ringmaster.  Despite his best efforts to grab the whip he soon fell to the ground writhing in agony.  

Ringmaster stood over him; sweat making his stencilled on moustache dribble black down his chin and neck.  Pride lay stretched out and motionless on the muddy ground, bleeding from the cuts the whip had made.  Ringmaster grabbed a handful of his long black hair and stepping on his neck with one foot he jerked Pride's head backwards until there was a sickening crack.

It was only then that Hawk had noticed what was going on and turning away from his opponent he launched himself his usually dark face white with rage upon Ringmaster only to receive a fierce lashing with his whip.  As Hawk too fell to the ground ringmaster grabbed him punching him repeatedly in the stomach and shaking him like a Jack Russell with a rat.  Eventually he let him fall to the ground where he began kicking him in the head with his steel toe-capped boots until it was nothing but a bloody pulp.

Lex, defeating his opponent; had looked up and across the mass of brawling bodies until he managed to glimpse Siva fighting a girl dressed in a fuchsia leotard with a brief skirt similar to the outfit's Lex had seen being worn by trapeze artists or ice skaters.  Sensing him watching her, Siva looked up and met his gaze.  Catching her briefly unaware the girl she was fighting grabbed the end of Siva's poll and pushed her back sending her hurtling into the campfire.  Lex had raced over; pulling her out he rolled her over again and again on the muddy ground until the flames cocooning her slender form were put out.

Lex went down hitting the ground with a resounding thud, caught off guard by a punch administered by a man dressed as a clown in a brightly stripped all-in-one outfit, his face painted white except for his mouth and nose which were painted red.  When Lex got up still reeling from the single punch that would not usually have managed to floor him Siva was no where to be seen.

The fighting continued until dawn as the sun rose up into a sky of oranges and purples and pinks.

Eventually Lex caught sight of Siva again her face burnt and blackened by smoke.  She was struggling, kicking, swearing and screaming in a valiant effort to free herself from her captors, two clowns.  As he advanced, one of them swiftly turned grabbing him by one arm with his yellow-gloved hand as Lex tried to punch him, the other hand pushed against his chest.  Lex felt a searing pain as the razor blades hidden in the palm of the gloves first embedded themselves into his skin and then tore and slashed at him reducing his clothes into shreds and cutting his arms and chest to ribbons.  

Only Lex's anger kept him going as he fought against the beast-like clawing talons that attacked him, he managed to free himself from the clowns grasp and punched him as hard as he could in the guts.  The clown doubled up in agony.  As Lex was about to pounce upon him again he heard a slight sound behind him, as he turned something gleamed brightly in the morning sun as it sliced through the air towards him.  Lex jumped as high as he could in an attempt to remove himself from harms way, crying out as the iron bar came in contact with his leg just above his ankle.

Still they fought on.  The sun was high in the pale blue sky when finally the exhausted tribesmen and women began to gain the upper hand as their persistence, stamina and determination began to shine through.

Ringmasters manic, cackling laugh could be heard as he eventually retreated relatively unscathed, along with the rest of Tribe Circus, bleeding, limping and leaving a trail of blood in their wake.  With them they took Siva, their prize catch.  She along with the other prisoners was carried, tied and bound to a long wooden pole like a dead animal on a spit ready for roasting.

A grief stricken Salene sat crying amidst the bloody puddles and carnage of dead bodies felled in the fight cradling Pride's lifeless, blue tinged form in her lap.

Some time later they began to bury the dead in graves dug with the few unbroken weapons and tools and often their bare hands, marking the gravesites with large stones and rocks.

Jay had stood silently watching as Lex dug angrily at the blood soaked earth, rags wrapped around his hands to protect the gapping wounds, his leg, bloody and mangled stuck out in front of him.  

Jay turned to Amber.  "Take Sal, Lex and the others who are badly injured home".  Jay instructed her.

"What about you?" She had asked.  

"We're going to take what weapons we have left and go and get Siva and the others back".  He responded grimly.  

He and some of the others set out later that day in pursuit of Tribe Circus; blooded and bruised they went, their wounds bound as best they could.  Mega and Ebony were among them. 

Danni looked across at Lex tears welling up in her eyes, tears that were mirrored in Lex's own.  She put her hand upon his once more in a gesture of comfort.  "If Jay said that he's going to bring her home with him he will".  She told him confidently.

"I know they'll try, maybe it's already too late.  Maybe when they bring her home it will be in a box".  Lex replied despondently.

"If she's anything like Ebony she's a survivor".

"It's killing me sitting here thinking about what they might be doing to her and not being able to do a damn thing about it".  

"It will be ok Lex".  Danni replied trying to be positive

"I wish I could have your faith Danni, I really do".  He told her.

That night as she lay in bed staring up at the ceiling unable to sleep, she thought of Mega and the others.  Uncertainties began to creep into her head.  What if they never came home and even if they did would things change?

Finally she drifted off to sleep still thinking about Mega and her friends.

Part 12

As the days went past Lex grew increasingly withdrawn and grumpy, he spent most of his time sitting in his and Siva's room guiltily brooding about what had happened to Siva.  

Although Sammie had been out into the city and found him some wooden crutches he found them difficult to use as they rubbed abrasively against the wounds on his arms often making them bleed and made his hands sore.  He struggled around the mall swearing profusely with both pain and embarrassment at his incapacitated state each time he banged into something or fell down.

Sometimes Danni would sit with him listening quietly as he shouted and swore in frustration, not flinching as he hurled things across the room.  She wished that there was something she could do to ease his pain, but there wasn't.

Danni entered his room one morning to find him sitting on the bed hugging a long, fluffy white robe against his chest.  She sat silently watching him until he looked up and noticed her.

"I didn't hear you come in".  He said putting the robe down next to him on the bed.

"No footsteps".  She smiled in response tapping the arm of her wheelchair.

"Stupid aren't I sleeping with this?"  He said motioning towards the robe.

Danni shock her head sadly in response.

"I've been sleeping with it under the pillow, it smells like her perfume, when I close my eyes I can almost imagine that she is here lying next to me".  He said sorrowfully.

"She'll come back".  Danni told him.

He nodded doubtfully in response wishing that he could believe her.

As he studied her more closely he noticed that she was wearing a little red glass heart fastened around her neck dangling from a piece of gold ribbon.  The necklace that he had won for her that day he had taken her to the Casino.

He reached out, lifting it away from her creamy skin he held it briefly in the palm of his hand admiring it's fragile beauty.  He smiled.  "I can't believe that you are still wearing this".  He said. 

"I like it, it's beautiful, it makes me feel special".  Danni responded shrugging her shoulders.

"You are special Danni, don't let anybody ever tell otherwise".  Lex said quietly as he painfully manoeuvred himself so that he was sitting on the edge of the bed facing her.

He reached out his hand brushing her check as he slid it gently behind her neck and into her dark, shiny mane of hair.  He pressed his lips broken and bruised pressed against Danni's as he kissed her.

In an effort to move closer he nearly toppled from the bed.  He grabbed the arm of her chair just in time to prevent himself from falling.

Danni giggled a little nervously as he righted himself.  "I think I better go".  She said softly her voice no more than a whisper.

"I think that's probably best, before I fall for you completely".  Lex agreed trying to make a joke of the situation.

He sat motionless on the edge of the bed, his face expressionless, watching her as she left.

Part 13

Danni sat alone in her room thinking about Lex's kiss.  It had been nice and had made her feel warm inside.  But there had been something missing; that spark of chemistry as their lips had brushed, sexual attraction that makes your heart flutter and leaves you wanting more.

She liked Lex, but not in the same way that she liked Mega.  He was good looking, funny, sweet and exciting but he wasn't Mega and it was Mega that she wanted.

She sat remembering the way he smelt, the way he looked, how it had felt when he held her in his arms and when he had finally kissed her.

Danni wondered as every girl does if he was the 'one'.

Maybe Lex was right and they weren't coming home, maybe it was time she moved on with her life and found someone else.  Sadly she realised that even if he didn't come back nobody else would ever be him or would be able to take his place.

Danni tried to think positively.  Mega had told her that he loved her that he would come back and Jay had said that was enough.  Besides Jay had promised her that things would be ok.

Lex stood just outside Danni's room.  He could see her sitting there staring vacantly into space, she looked so beautiful, so fragile, yet so sad it made him want to take her in his arms and comfort her, to make the hurt that she was feeling, that they were both feeling vanish forever.

Lex cleared his throat, alerting Danni to his presence.  He moved slowly forwards his body trembling with pain and frustration.  He leant against the wall for support loosening his grip on the crutches, flexing the stiffened fingers causing the grazes upon his knuckles to crack open and bleed once more.

"About before".  He started  "I shouldn't have kissed you, I'm sorry".

"It's ok Lex".  She responded softly.

"We can still be friends can't we"?  He asked.

"Yes Lex of course we can still be friends".  She said, her smile lighting up her pretty face.

Lex smiled at her clearly delighted by her response then winced with pain as he gingerly lowered himself into the chair next to her bed.

Part 14

They were sitting silently in the café eating lunch whilst the children played together each of them absorbed in their thoughts as they ate.  

Salene sat picking at her food thinking of Pride and the life they could have had together.  Amber too was thinking of Pride. 

Lex, his crutches propped up against the table was brooding about Siva.  

Trudy was thinking about Hawk, how he had come to the city with her to find Brady after she had been taken during the Techno's raid of the Eco camp, how he had stayed and helped them overthrow the Techno regime and of all the things she had never be able to say to him, things that she should have said.  

Danni sat watching them all concern for them all showing on her face.

People entered the Mall unnoticed, those in the cafe were oblivious to the sound as two sets of footsteps climbed the stairs, and it wasn't until they entered the café itself that anyone was aware of their presence.

Ebony stood before them, as proud and strong as she had ever been.  A familiar defiant, don't mess with me expression upon her face.

Behind her shrouded in Ebony's coat stood Siva.  She was a shadow of her former self her face was bruised, her hair matted with dry blood, her clothes filthy and torn so badly that it was only the coat that covered her nakedness.  Her wrists were red raw where she had been tied and chained and upon one of her arms was a large burn from where she had been pushed into the campfire.

Her eyes widened in panic as Lex struggled up from his seat and hobbled towards her overcome with joy at her return. She back slunk trembling with fear and would have taken flight and ran away from him had Ebony not grabbed her arm making her cry out in pain.

"Siva and I are going to go and get cleaned up; we do not want to be disturbed".  Ebony told them all her voice as hard as steel as she led her sister from the room.

Opened mouthed with shock and confusion they watched them both go along the landing and into Ebony's room.

Lex turned abruptly to follow them stumbling as he did so.

A few seconds later shouting could be heard from the other end of the Mall.  Amber and the others rushed out of the café to see what was going on.

Ebony stood a bowl of water in her hands barring Lex's entry to her room.

"She doesn't want to see you".  Ebony shouted at him.

"I don't believe you, you lying cow".  Lex shouted back at her trying to push his way past.

"Go away Lex, don't make me hurt you".  She yelled squaring up to him ready to fight.

"If she doesn't want to see me, tell me why".  Lex cried with confusion.

"She doesn't Lex, she just needs some time".  Ebony told him lowering her voice a fraction.

"Tell me why Ebony unless you want me to go in there and ask her myself".  He said menacingly.

"They hurt her Lex".  Ebony tried to explain.

"What do you mean, they hurt her, I can see the bruises I know that they hurt her".  He spat angrily.

"He raped her Lex, the evil b*****d raped her".  She yelled at him distraughtly.

Lex slumped against the wall, his crutches clattering noisily to the ground devastated by what Ebony had told them tears streaming down his face.

"Ebony can I come in?"  Danni called through the curtain that acted as the door to Ebony's room.

Ebony came out and moved the curtain aside motioning with a slight movement of her head she indicated that it was ok for Danni to enter, she moved aside allowing her friend to manoeuvre her wheelchair into the room.  Siva was lying fast asleep in the bed, she looked very young and innocent cleaned of all the dirt and makeup Danni thought, it was hard to believe that she was Ebony's older sister.

"Do you want to talk about what happened?" Danni asked her.

"I had this dream a while ago before all of this happened.  In this dream Siva was being kept prisoner in a damp basement in the dark chained to the wall in one corner, a man in a black cloak came in and she was petrified that he would hurt her.  That was where we found her Danni in the place that I dreamt of, everything was the same as in my dream her face was bruised, her hair matted with dry blood, her clothes torn so badly that they barely covered her nakedness, she was covered in her own filth, the smell was so vile it nearly made me sick.  It was all exactly the same.  We didn't find her in time though he had already hurt her".  

"You found her though and you brought her home that was what you set out to do".  Danni replied in a consoling tone of voice.

"We got her and the others out but at what cost you saw the state of her earlier".  Ebony said despondently.

They sat there in silence watching the sleeping girl.  Nearly an hour had passed before Danni finally plucked up the courage to ask Ebony a question.

"What happened to Mega and Jay Ebony?"  She asked softly her velvety brown eyes searching Ebony's face hoping to read something in her expression that would give her some hope of their return.

"One minute they were behind us urging us to run because we had been spotted as we made our escape, when we finally stopped to catch our breath, I turned around expecting them to be there and they weren't.  I can't tell you what happened because I don't know".  A single, solitary tear slid down her cheek as she told Danni what had happened.

They sat there, two friends, each absorbed in their own private grief.

"I think that you should let Lex see Siva, Ebony".  Danni told her friend.

"I don't know, you saw how she reacted when he came near her yesterday".  Ebony responded.

"He's still sitting outside.  At least go out and talk to him".  Danni tried to persuade her.

Ebony got up and left the room.  Sure enough Lex was sitting outside on the floor his broken leg stretched out uncomfortably in front of him, his crutches propped up against the wall.

"How is she?"  He asked Ebony his voice full of concern.

"Ok, better than she was, I think she just needs some time to get over what happened".  Ebony shrugged her shoulders.

"Ebony, when he …. You know…. Did he use protection?"  He asked her his voice little more than a frightened whisper.

"I don't know Lex she doesn't remember, all I can tell you is that when we found her she had semen stains on her underwear".  Ebony shuddered with revulsion.

"It doesn't matter, even if she is".  Lex paused forcing himself to swallow the bile, which had risen into his mouth before continuing.  "Pregnant I mean, I will stand by her.  I lost Zandra and Taisan and I'm not going to lose her as well.  No matter what it takes I'm not giving up on us".  

"Ok, you can come and sit with her as long as you're quiet".  Ebony relented.

Lex struggled to his feet and followed Ebony into the room.  

He sat for what seemed like hours watching Siva sleep, before she stirred and her eyelids fluttered open.  

Siva tensed up as she noticed him sitting on a chair close to the bed and visibly inched as far away from him as she could, obviously afraid.

"It's ok, I'm not going to hurt you, I wont even touch you, not if you don't want me too".  He told her reassuringly.

Seeing her tense expression relax a little he took a deep breath and continued.  "I will wait as long as it takes, no matter what happens I want us to be together, I love you Siva".  He told her his voice gentle but loaded with emotion.

Siva managed a small smile and her hand trembling she reached out to him.  As he ceased her hand in his own her smile wavered.  Looking at the expression of warmth upon Lex's face she relaxed back against the pillows, closing her eyes, the tension gone.

"Danni can I speak to you for a minute"?  Ebony asked as she got up and left the room safe in the knowledge that Siva was ok.

By the time Danni came out, Ebony was standing at the top of the stairs wearing her coat, a bag slung over her shoulder.

"Take care of Siva, don't let Lex push her too far too soon".  Ebony said.

"Your going back out there aren't you"?  Danni asked her already knowing what the answer would be.

"I didn't leave Siva, I'm not leaving Jay either, nor Mega.  I know they're still out there somewhere and I'm going to find them".  She replied determinedly as she turned and hurried down the stairs and out of the Mall.__

 Part 15

As the days passed Siva grew stronger and was able to rejoin life in the mall, although she could not yet bear for Lex to kiss her or touch her in an intimate manner.

Danni was extremely worn out what with keeping an eye on Siva and Lex as she had promised Ebony and due to the fact that she wasn't sleeping well.  Most nights she lay awake staring up at the ceiling prayer that Mega, Jay and Ebony would return home safely.

Trudy had noticed that her friend was looking pale and worn out, one night as she was helping Danni get ready for bed she asked her what was the matter.

"I miss Mega, I keep wondering what's happened to all of them".  She told Trudy.

"I know it's hard missing someone that you love, but don't give up yet Danni everything might still be ok".  Trudy responded   

"Sometimes I'm not sure if I have built him up in my memory if what he is some imaginary person, he person I wanted him to be and not who he really is.  Maybe I just wants somebody to love me, to be with me, to want me, maybe it's not even  Mega".  Danni confessed with obvious confusion.

"The glimmer of hope that I've held onto is dying inside of me, it's like the flame on a candle.  I'm scared that I wont ever get over him if he's dead, part of me hates him for leaving.  If he loved me he would have stayed with me".  Danni said as she dissolved into tears.

Trudy put her arms round her friend and held her.   

"He was trying to do what was best for you, what was best for every one Danni that's all.   I dread to think what would have happened if they hadn't fought?  Even though Pride and Hawk are dead I think that fighting Tribe Circus was the right thing for us to do".   Trudy told Danni, her voice sad as she thought of the two friends she had lost.

"Mega will come back, then you will be together and have a chance of making it work".  Trudy said wistfully, thinking that she should have told Hawk how she felt about him, that she wished she hadn't passed up on their chance to be together by not expressing her love for him.

"Jay said that Mega loved me too much to lose me, that he will come back when this is over, that they both would".  Danni said remembering Jay's parting words and how they had given her hope.

"He was right.  Don't give up on them coming home yet, I'm sure things will be ok". Trudy said.  Danni stopped crying and smiled bravely as Trudy helped her into bed, swinging her legs up and into a comfortable position and arranging the pillows and bedclothes around her. 

"I know your right, it just hurts inside, I miss him so much but at the same time I'm angry with him and confused about the future and what I really want".  

"What you're feeling is completely normal Danni.  You have to keep on hoping that things will work out in the end, at least while there is still a chance".  Trudy said as she began to think of Hawk once more and wondered if she would get another chance, if she would find someone to love and finally become the family that she wanted Brady to have, it wasn't that the Mall Rats weren't her their family that she wasn't grateful to them and didn't love them, it was just that she wanted more, the things that they couldn't give her.

Danni manoeuvred her chair slowly out of her room and onto the balcony overlooking the ground floor of the Mall, wondering what all the commotion was about.  Amber ran past her and quickly descended the stairs to where Ebony and Jay were standing; between them they were supporting Mega.  

Danni's cry of joy suddenly turned to ashes in her throat, as it was evident from the way his head drooped and his feet dragged along the ground that Mega was unconscious.  As Amber helped them carry Mega up the stairs Danni saw the blood staining his Techno uniform, he was obviously badly injured.  She struggled to fight back the tears as between them they carried him into one of the bedrooms and set him down upon the bed.

Blood was oozing from a large gash that ran from the top of his head across one side of his face to just above his jaw-line, his nose was broken, the bruising blackening both of his eyes and one of his arms was bent at an awkward looking angle.

Jay slumped exhausted against the wall clutching his side with one hand as Amber and Ebony ran to fetch some clean water and the first-aid kit.  

When they returned Amber and Ebony began to gently bath Mega's wounds with the warm water wiping away the dried blood to reveal the severity of his head wound, the gash was so deep in places you could see the bone showing through the few remaining layers of tissue.

"How long has he been like this?" Amber questioned Jay.

"The cuts been bleeding on and off since it happened, but he's been slipping in and out of consciousness for the past three days since Ebony found us".  Jay told her.

"What about his arm?"  Amber asked.

"He dislocated his shoulder when we escaped, but the fool wouldn't let me try to move it back into place".  Jay replied.

Unable to keep hold of her emotions any longer a strangled sob escaped from Danni's throat.  Jay looked up startled to see her there, with some difficulty he rose and went over to her, wincing in pain as he knelt down in front of her chair, he took both of her hands in his own, in a silent gesture of comfort.

Carefully Amber and Ebony removed both Mega's jacket and top, the bruising upon his shoulder was deep black in colour.  "We need to put his shoulder back into place, can you hold him down?"  Amber said turning to Jay.  Jay rose and went over to the bed, as he reached forwards to hold his friend down he let out a groan of pain.

Ebony pushed him aside and using all of her remaining strength she held Mega down bracing herself as with an ominous crack Amber managed to pull his arm back into a normal position.

She dressed the gash on his head as best she could and bandaged his face to keep the dressings in place leaving only his nose and mouth visible.  

"Jay let me take a look at your ribs now".  Ebony said breaking the eerie silence, her love for him showing in the soft tone of her voice.

She gasped in horror as he removed his top to reveal the extent of the bruising on his ribcage and the angry, red, weeping wheals upon his back.  Quickly she bathed his injuries as she fought against the nausea that threatened to overwhelm her.

Jay's fists where tightly clenched, his knuckles white as he struggled not to cry out as Ebony tightly bound up his ribs.  He gritted his teeth each breath coming out in a hiss of pain.

"Is he going to be ok?"  Jay questioned Amber as finally she finished tending to Mega's wounds.

"We've done all we can, now we just have to wait".  She told them.

The mall became cloaked in darkness as nighttime fell; Danni and Jay sat in silence one on each side of the bed where Mega lay, the room dimly lit by flickering candles.  

He was shivering although his skin was like fire to the touch, the sweat kept pouring out of him no matter how diligently Danni bathed his burning skin away with a cool clothe. The fire of the fever burned through him so hot that she thought it would eat him alive. 

She willed him to live, her love for him, her desperation so strong that she thought it would rip her very soul apart. Had he been given back too her only so she could watch him die? She wondered.

Jay watched both Danni and his best friend wishing that he could ease Mega's pain and Danni's obvious anguish.  He was so exhausted he could barely keep his eyes open but he forced himself to do so, he watched her, sitting there her face half lit, half in shadow, her dark hair falling in a rippling wave nearly curtaining her face, brown eyes shinning with tears, she looked exactly how he imagined an angel might look.  He longed to comfort her but his own fear prevented him from doing so.  Together they kept a silent vigil at his bedside as Mega's life hung in the balance.

His skin was glowing with the heat coming from his body and dripping with perspiration, sometimes he spoke in rambling sporadic sentences that told her he was reliving the battle and being captured by Tribe Circus.  Through his words she saw more clearly than ever how terrible the slaughter had been.  He would call for her and be soothed momentarily by her and Jay's murmurs and their cool hands, and then he would become delirious once more.  

Mega's dreams were unrelenting sometimes he was back in the forest trapped by the smoke and the fury of the fighting, people screaming and dying around him some by his own hands, he could smell burning flesh, the blood and the filth of the dungeons were they had found Siva and the others, terrified screams echoed inside his head.  

Danni sat murmuring endearments to him in an effort to calm him as he began to trash around on the bed the sheets knotting around him as he shouted out in terror.  As she reached out to take his hand in her own he lunged at her grabbing her throat and making her gasp in pain as she struggled for breath.  

Instantly Jay was on his feet, he wrenched Mega's hands off of Danni; it took all of his strength to press Mega back against the pillows.  He continued to fight against Jay, his breathing rapid and harsh, his skin ashen until finally he slumped back limply into the pillows.  

"Did he hurt you?" Jay demanded as he turned towards Danni his voice full of concern.  Danni shook her hand too stunned to reply.  Around her neck even in the dim light Jay could see red finger marks where Mega had tried to strangle her.  Marks that would soon turn into painful bruise.

She sat motionless watching him through the night unable to sleep or eat even when Trudy pleaded with her to do so.   In the deepest part of the night as Mega tossed and turned in a sleep full of nightmares, her hands were gentle, her voice quite as she soothed him.  

Jay and Danni both looked up as Lex limped in his crutches clicking on the cold floor with each step that he took.

"How is he?"  He asked quietly turning to Jay.

"Not good".  Jay replied with a shake his head.

"Where's Ebony?"  He asked.

"In my room, standing guard over Siva like a mother pitball".  Lex told him, Jay smiled briefly.

Lex looked at Danni her gaze focused on Mega she was so absorbed she hadn't even realised that he was there.  Her face was pale, almost transparent looking; dark blue smudges shadowed her eyes.

"Sweetheart, please come to bed you look exhausted".  He pleaded his voice full of concern.

Danni looked up for the first time noticing his presence, her eyes were brimming with tears as she shook her head in response.

"Danni, you need to rest, I'll wake you if there's any change".  Jay told her.

"Please".  Lex pleaded with her softly.

She nodded slowly her gaze turning once more to Mega before she turned and followed Lex out of the room.

The rest of the Mall was silent as it's occupants slept.  Outside Danni could here birds singing in the chilly dawn.

"Do you want me to get Trudy?"  Lex asked as they entered her room.  Danni shook her head, Lex noticed that she was biting her lower lip in an effort to hold back the tears.  

He lent his crutches against the bed and bent down and began undoing the straps holding Danni in her wheelchair.  Gripping the edge of the bed he clambered unsteadily to his feet.  "Ok sweetheart hold on tightly". He instructed her as he lifted her onto the bed.  

As he collapsed beside her his broken leg sticking awkwardly out in front of him Danni finally gave way to tears.  "He's going to die, I love him so much I couldn't bear life with out him".  She cried turning her face into the pillows in an effort to muffle the sound of her heartbreaking sobs.

Lex reached out cupping her chin gently with one hand as he turned her tearstained face towards him.  He drew her against him as leaning back onto he pillows he held her close, his strong, muscular arms wrapped tightly around her.  He rested his chin on the top of her head, as he stroked her hair not knowing what to say to ease her pain.

Danni cried herself to sleep, her head upon his chest the beating of his heart comforting her as she lay sleeping in his warm embrace.

 Mega floated in and out on consciousness often delirious knowing nothing of what was happening around him, he heard voices but hadn't the strength to understand or answer.  Once he thought he heard Danni's voice, she sounded just as he had imagined she would, he managed to call out her name before darkness closed in on him and smothered the pain.   

At the end of the three days he in fell into a deep dreamless sleep as peaceful as death.  Waking was like being born confusing, painful and helpless, he lay still with the patience of the weak until he could make out the murmurs of those around him of Danni and Jay who sat by his bedside willing him to regain consciousness.  

His head hurt, it ached and pounded continuously he could feel the bandages swathing his face, covering his eyes so that he could not see.   

He murmured her name and reached out into the darkness or so it seemed.  Her small delicate hand slid into his own, her skin was silky smooth and soft as it brushed against his.  

A wave of love washed over him draining him of his strength, he slid back into the darkness. 

At first Mega was only strong enough to remain awake for an hour at a time.  The memory of the battles were clear but not there slow journey home as the pain had been too much as he had been lifted dragged and carried.  

He lay there too exhausted to speak, Danni still holding his hand as she and Jay talked quietly, their whispering voices seemed far away.  The presence of Danni and his best friend reassured him, making him feel safe despite the pain in his head, which threatened to overwhelm him, he had done what he set out to do and now he was home again.  His thoughts were of the future as he drifted off into a peaceful slumber. 

_In his dream they were on a beach, the sand was as golden as the sun, which shone in the sky above them, the sea sparkled like a blue topaz, the small crystal like waves gently lapped the sand.  On the cliff top above stood a pretty blue and white house with large glass windows from which he knew that you could see the waves breaking on the golden sand, hear the surf lapping against the rocks framing the sides of the small sandy cove. Behind the house there were lush green fields leading up to the purple hills, which seemed to reach right up into the sky above them.  It was the house he and his mother had dreamed of living in and now he was here with Danni.  It was their house and together they were living out the dream._

_They lay on the sand together relishing in the tranquillity of the place, even the silence was comfortable and full of the love that they had for one another.  She was stretched out on golden sand, her luxurious dark hair fanned out in rippling waves around her head, already her creamy skin was taking on a golden glow, her curvaceous figure accentuated by the maroon halter necked bikini she was wearing._

_ He turned to kiss her as she lay sunning herself next to him, Danni giggled her laugh tinkling like a thousand tiny bells as instead of returning his kiss she licked his face and then cheekily bit the end of his nose.  Laughing he picked her up and ran with her into the shallows, she clung to him tightly, a little scared as he splashed around in the water with her but giggling too much to protest. _

_All of a sudden, without any warning, the sky darkened and a storm began to ravage the little cove, huge dark waves crashed upon the shore, rain lashed down in torrents, thunder rumbled and lightening lit up the sky.  Instantly Mega turned holding Danni tightly against him in an effort to protect her as he began to make his way back to the safety of the beach.  As he did so a large wave hit him, the force of which knocked them both over.  The sea wrenched Danni away from him her beautiful brown eyes wide with panic, bubbles rising from her mouth, she looked like an exquisitely beautiful mermaid as the force of the current sucked her under and dragged her out towards the raging sea beyond the little cove.  He tried desperately to swim after her but the current that had separated them now drove him mercilessly back towards the shore._

 "No".  Came Mega's anguished shout.  His tears mingled with the rain coursing down his cheeks as he waded blindly back into the raging sea time and time again.

 He could no longer see Danni but his instincts told him that the sea had taken her, that she was gone.  He fell to his knees in despair; his heartbreaking sobs were whipped away by the wind.  As he looked up he caught sight of a lonely figure standing on the cliff top above, someone who had been watching the proceedings on the windswept beach below.

Terror gripped his heart as he woke up in to an all-engulfing darkness not knowing where he was.  "Danni?"  He cried out his voice full of aguish and confusion.  

"Danni's fine, she's in her room sleeping".  Jay reassured him.  

"How are you feeling?" He asked his friend his voice full of concern.

"I had the most horrible nightmare, it felt so real, my head aches a bit, but other than that I feel ok".  He answered as he raised one hand to touch the bandages covering his still tender head.

They sat in silence for a while until Mega spoke again "Man, I really need to go…"  His voice trailed off with embarrassment.  

As he swung his legs round and attempted to get up the dizziness very nearly over came him Jay came over and took his arm in order to steady him as he helped him out of bed and carefully to the bathroom.

Jay led Mega into Danni's room.  "She's sleeping".  Jay informed him his voice hushed so as not to wake her.

Mega reached hesitantly out with one hand until he touched the edge of the bed, he lowered himself slowly down into a sitting position.  "If it's all the same I think I'll stay for a while".  He said turning is said in the general direction they had just come from which was vaguely towards where Jay was standing.  

"Ok, I'll leave you to it and come back in a little while".  Jay told him.

Mega listened to Jay's footsteps fade as he turned and left the room.  

He ran one hand across the bedcovers until he could feel Danni's hand; he took it in his own stroking her soft skin as he listened to her slow rhythmic breathing as she slept.

Danni stirred and opened her eyes "Hey". She said sleepily.  

"Hey yourself".  Mega responded.  He could sense that she was smiling and he smiled back.  

"How do you feel?"  She asked him.

"Better, I just missed you".  He told her as he raised her hand to his lips and kissed it.

She laughed; reaching out she pulled him closer.  "I missed you too".  She told him her voice husky with emotion.

He hesitated fearful because he couldn't see what he was doing, before he bent down and kissed her.  Danni sighed with pleasure as his lips instinctively meet hers, the kiss was warm and soft, it dispelled any lingering fear from Mega's mind.

He drew away from her as his shoulder, still bruised began to ache as it stiffened up.

"Does it hurt much?"  Danni asked as he rubbed his shoulder with his other hand.

"Na, it's just a bit stiff, probably from all of that laying around I've been doing lately".  He told her cheerfully as he stifled a yawn.

"You should rest".  She told him.

"Only if I get to stay here with you".  He said with a laugh but at the same time his voice was serious, never had he needed her as much as he did at this moment.

Danni didn't need to reply; He knew that she wanted to be with him as much as he did with her.  He slid under the covers next to her turning her gently towards him he eased her close, supporting her with his good arm.  She rested her head upon his shoulder, her hand stroking his chest.  

"I think I've missed his most of all, just being able to hold you in my arms and for us to cuddle up close, I love you Danni".  He said drowsily as he drifted off to sleep.

"I love you to Mega".  She responded softly, happiness filling her until she thought it would make her burst.

Danni awoke with a start as Mega shifted out from under her his body tense with fear as he awoke to darkness; the bandages covered his eyes and prevented him from opening them.  She could see the muscles in his back rigid with terror as he sat up and stared out into space.  He flinched away from her as she touched him.

"Mega it's ok, it's just the bandages covering your eyes".  She explained, her voice soothing him.

"I can't get used to this, waking up to darkness, not knowing where I am, I feel so helpless, it terrifies the hell out of me".  He said his breathes coming out in shudders.

"The bandages will come off soon".  Danni soothed reaching out to him, he lay back down taking her in his arms once more.  Danni lay there quietly not speaking, her arms wrapped around him comfortingly.  Gradually he began to relax, the tension leaving his body as he finally fell back to sleep.

They were laying bodies intertwined peacefully sleeping when Jay returned.  He stood for a moment watching them before he slipped silently from the room leaving them to their dreams.

Trudy carefully began to unwind the bandages covering Mega's face.  His knuckles were white as he gripped Danni's hand, you could cut the tension in the room with a knife.

The gash had scabbed over, pulling the skin back together and closing the wound.  

"It looks good, it's healing nicely".  Trudy informed him as she began to unravel the bandages a little rather.  Danni breathed a little sigh of relief.

His face was pale and his eyes unfocused, her face swam in front of his eyes as he struggled to speak, the bright light stung his eyes and made him blink rapidly.  "Jay, kill the lights man they're hurting my eyes".  He said as put a hand up to shield them from the light.

Once the lights had been dimmed Mega looked around him once more, everything was a blurry like a bad picture where the images were fuzzy and you couldn't make out the details.  

"Mega, wear these otherwise the light will make your head ache, you shouldn't strain your eyes to soon".  Trudy told him as she pushed a pair of sunglasses the same as his old ones but with dark lenses into his hand.

He gingerly touched the scar on his face gently with his fingers. "Does it look awful?"  He asked turning to Jay knowing that his friend would be honest with him.

"It's not pretty".  Jay admitted.  "It's better than it was though, so I wouldn't give up your dreams of becoming as good looking as me just yet".  They all laughed at Jay's poor joke, the tension in the room easing considerably.  Mega leant over and punched Jay lightly on the arm as he did so the room began to swim before his eyes.  "Steady, you need to take things easy for a while yet".  Jay said as he caught hold of Mega's arm to prevent him falling.  As he did so he caught sight of a single tear as it slid down Danni's cheek.  

"I think we need to give these guys a bit of privacy".  Jay told Trudy and they left leaving Mega and Danni on their own together.

He held out his hand to her motioning for her to come closer when she did he reached out and touched her face marvelling that she had indeed grown more beautiful.  "I was so scared that I wouldn't get to see you again, that I was going to have to live the rest of my life in darkness".  He told her his voice raw with emotion.  

"I know you were, I was scared too, when you didn't come back I thought that maybe you'd died and then you were so sick and in so much pain".  She paused a tear of relief and happiness slid down her cheek.  "I'm so happy you're ok".  She told him smiling through the tears.  

"Everything will be ok now".  Mega reassured her as he leant forward so that he could kiss away her tears.

"Love me".  She pleaded quietly with him.  Slowly he un-strapped her legs and then he swept her up into his arms and carried her over to the bed.  It was only six steps but never had he felt more of a man, looking at her he was reminded of a china doll, beautiful, perfect in everyway but delicate, fragile and almost breakable.  His need to have her was great as was his fear that he would hurt her no matter how gentle he tried to be.  

Danni kept her arms wound about his neck as he lowered her carefully back against the pillows so that he had no choice but to lay down with her.  Then, his hands braced on either side of her head he kissed her.  He thought he would float away up into heaven if such a place truly existed on the sweetness of her lips as they met his own.  

He stroked her cheek with his hand. "Are you sure?"  He asked her softly. Without hesitation she nodded and smiled up at him with the brightest of smiles, her trust of him so complete. The love burning bright in her eyes as their gaze met nearly sent him over the edge.

He wanted her very badly more than he could ever remember wanting anyone or anything else ever before, he wanted those lips, warm, open and willing under his own.  He reached out his fingers winding in her hair and cupping her neck.  She saw only the love in his eyes as he bent his head towards her, as if in a dream she let her own eyes close and her lips part.   His eyes closed as he kissed her again slowly, gently.   

"I've dreamed of this".  Mega told her his voice horse with desire as he gently undressed her, his hands skimmed lightly over her body, lovingly he stroked the faint scar on her stomach knowing that if it hadn't been there they would never have met before he circled the rigid point of her breasts with the tip of his tongue.  Moaning with pleasure she reached out to him as he moved over her igniting fires of desire as he went. 

He found it almost unbearably arousing as her in-experienced hands fumbled with his clothes as she attempted to undress him.  His body tensed and hardened as she hesitantly explored it with the tips of her fingers, it was like some form of exquisite torture.  

Mega moved slowly not only so that he didn't hurt her but also for himself so that he would remember every heartbeat every instant that they shared so that the moment when he made her his own would be etched in his mind forever.  

Her mind began to whirl as she stroked her hands over him his skin was rough in places, the muscles hardened under her touch.  As he nuzzled her neck she felt herself go weak with excitement, the pleasure was more than she had ever imagined it would be.  A warm, tingling sensation spread throughout her body washing over her like some glorious wave.  She trembled with desire, a little unsure of herself, but desperate for more.  

He hesitated once more seeking her gaze, reassured by the love and lust shinning in her eyes he stroked her inner thighs and gently parted her legs so that he could slip inside of her as he did so he was fighting against the desperate passion within him so that he took her gently.  A tiny whimper of both pain and pleasure escaped her lips as he entered her, as he became part of her.  The muscles in his arms quivered as he watched her as he had dreamed of watching, the expression upon her face as he made her his, moving slowly within her.  He bent to kiss her once more; her hands stroked sensuously down his back, as he thrust deeper inside of her she pressed against him moaning with pleasure.  

As they made love, Mega kept his gaze fixed upon Danni's face for any sign that he was hurting her he watched as her pupils dilated with desire, she pulled him closer so great was her need for him as he thrust deep inside of her.  It was as if fireworks were going off inside both of their heads as they climaxed together, it was like nothing either of them had ever experienced before.  

He gently withdrew from her; taking her in his arms he held her close.  

It was as though they had climbed as the as the sun, bubbles of euphoria were bursting all over her body as she slowly floated back down to earth.  She smiled as she nestled closer to him burying her head against his warm chest.  The chest of the boy, the man who was her friend, her lover, her hero, who cared for her and provided her with comfort and security, he was everything to her and she knew at that moment when the love that they felt for one another was so strong that they would always be together.

Mega moved her away from him holding her at arms length so he could see her face.  "I didn't hurt you did I?"  He asked her softly his eyes locking on her own searching for the flicker of pain that he dreaded to see.  

"You didn't hurt me, it was lovely".  She reassured him as she reached for him once more, her fingers, brushed the side of his head and he flinched as they came unintentionally in contact with his scarring wound.  Reminding him again what he had almost lost.  "I love you Danni so much, more than I ever thought was possible, I hope things can always be this way".  He told her his voice cracking with emotion. 

"We belong together, now after what we just shared, I belong to you, nothing will ever change that, nothing will ever break the bond of our love".  She said as she began caressing his body once more.

"Marry me?" He asked her his voice little more than an uncertain whisper.

Danni thought she would burst with joy as she pulled his mouth down upon her own, the kiss that they shared left no doubt in Mega's mind to what Danni's answer would be.

Part 16

The mall was decorated for the wedding, lit by veils of fairy lights hanging from the ceiling above. Water ran joyfully down the sides of the phoenix.  In the pool at the phoenix's feet pennies sparkled and glittered like rare jewels representing the hopes and dreams of a thousand wishes.  

Two rows of silver chairs had been placed facing the phoenix; they were occupied by Mega and Danni's friends both the Mall Rats and Techno's dressed in their finest attire to mark the occasion.  In the centre aisle there was an archway covered in elegant white lilies and silver ribbons.   

Mega and Jay who was acting as his best man stood in front of the fountain waiting for the ceremony to begin.  They wore matching steel coloured trousers, and white shirts; the groom wore a single breasted gold waistcoat over the top of his shirt.  

Mega impatiently shifted from foot to foot as he eagerly awaited Danni's presence; constantly fiddling with the wedding ring he had carefully chosen for her with Jay's help.

Amber who was acting as the celebrant and dressed for the occasion in a periwinkle blue boned strapless satin bodice which laced up at the back and a long satin iridescent plum coloured a-line skirt stood with them both as the music began to play quietly in the background signalling the beginning of the ceremony and Danni's entrance.

(Sade - No Ordinary Love (an edited version)).
    
    I gave you all the love I got
    
    I gave you more than I could give
    
    I gave you love.
    
    I gave you all that I have inside
    
    And you took my love
    
    You took my love.
    
    Didn't I tell you?
    
    What I believe.
    
    Did somebody say that?
    
    A love like that won't last forever.
    
    Didn't I give you?
    
    All that I've got to give baby.
    
    You gave me all the love you got
    
    You gave me more than you could give
    
    You gave me love
    
    You gave me all that you have inside
    
    And I took your love
    
    I took your love.
    
    You keep crying
    
    You keep trying for me,
    
    There's nothing like you and I baby.
    
    This is no ordinary love
    
    No ordinary Love
    
    This is no ordinary love
    
    No ordinary Love.
    
    When you came my way
    
    You brightened every day
    
    With your sweet smile.
    
    Didn't you tell me?
    
    What you believe
    
    Did somebody say that?
    
    A love like that won't last. 
    
    Didn't you give me?
    
    All that you've got to give baby.
    
    This is no ordinary love
    
    No ordinary Love
    
    This is no ordinary love
    
    No ordinary Love
    
    There's nothing like you and I baby.

Danni's dress was beautiful, made from Thai silk; the bodice was silver in colour and was off the shoulder with long sleeves that flared out from the elbow into a conical shape.  The edges of the sleeves were bound with a thick strip of gold silk.  The long skirt of dress was also silver and was runched at the front to give a rippling effect; the hem of the skirt was also edged with matching gold silk.  

On her feet Danni wore ballet slippers these were also gold in colour, her nails too had been varnished gold to match her wedding dress.  

Her dark hair snaked in ringlets interwoven with gold ribbons about the creamy skin of her bare shoulders.  Around her neck she wore a necklace that was made up of pearls strung a few centimetres apart on a rippling gold chain.  

She wore little makeup, iridescent gold eye shadow on her eyelids blended with a silver shadow that swept up to her dark brows and a slick of clear gloss upon her plump lips.  

Mouse had decorated her wheelchair with many curling gold and silver ribbons that matched Danni's outfit.  

As she came down the aisle towards him Mega thought that she had never looked more beautiful, she reminded him of a medieval princess in a book he had once read.  Only one thing marred the perfection of the vision before him and that was Lex.  

Following tradition Danni had asked Lex to give her away as he was her closest friend, Mega had grudgingly agreed as he knew how important it was to Danni.

Lex had never felt so proud as he did at that moment dressed in his purple suit with its three quarter length jacket, pushing Danni down the aisle to be joined together in marriage with her true love, Mega.  Finally they reached the front where Mega was standing waiting, Danni took her place next to him and Lex and Jay slipped silently into their seats next to Siva and Ebony.

As Mega reached out and took Danni's hand in his own the music faded into the background and Amber began to speak.  "Friends we come together today to celebrate the love shared by Danni and Mega and to witness the most joyous of occasions as they bond together in marriage".  

Mega smiled lovingly at Danni as he began.  "Danni, I love you more than life itself, I would do anything for you. You have given me so much joy, given me hope for the future when I was ready to admit defeat.  

I knew from the minute I saw you that you were special, that you would be the only girl for me and I promise to love you and cherish you forever".  

His eyes were sparkling with tears of happiness behind the tinted lenses of his glasses as he slid the plain gold band engraved with two interlinking hearts onto Danni's wedding ring finger.

Danni began to talk, her voice full of emotion.  "You brought me back from the brink of death.  After the dark you became my light, I love you so much and in so many ways. 

I can't begin to describe the way that you make me feel.  

When I look at you I know the love that we share will never die, that it will bind us together for all eternity.  There is nothing I want more than to be your wife".   She finished softly.

Overwhelmed by Danni and Mega's vows Siva turned towards Lex and reached out to take hold of his hand, Lex looked across at her a delighted smile of surprise upon his face as he pulled her closer into his loving embrace. 

Ebony too, glanced up at the strong face of her lover for an instant, basking in the knowledge of his love for her as they stood together, the perfect couple, Jay with his arm protectively about her waist. 

Trudy smiled happily down at her beloved daughter, Brady who nestled in her arms, her small eyes fixed intently upon Danni and Mega.  Today everything was how it should be: the stuff that dreams were made of, Trudy thought to herself as Danni finished speaking and turned her hand still in Mega's to face their friends.

"A love that is as strong and enduring as the love shared by Danni and Mega is a blessing that few of us are ever lucky enough to receive and I am sure that you will all join with me in wishing Danni and Mega every happiness for the future whatever it may hold".  Amber waited for the clapping, cheering and Lex's catcalls to fade into silence before she continued.  "I now pronounce you husband and wife.  You may kiss your bride".  And that was exactly what Mega did…..

The End


End file.
